UC Davis junior Steven Patterson and UC Irvine junior Andrew Morales notched the Big West Baseball Field Player and Pitcher of the Week awards with stellar performances that led their teams to successful conference play.

Patterson Helps UC Davis To Big West Sweep

Junior Steven Patterson (Stockton, Calif./San Joaquin Delta College) batted .500 and had 11 RBI in four UC Davis victories, earning him Big West Baseball Field Player of the Week honors.

The second baseman also scored nine times as he had a role in exactly half of the 40 runs the Aggies accumulated for the week.

Patterson batted 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI as the Aggies won 10-7 at Nevada on Tuesday.

The Aggies then rode Patterson's hot bat to a series sweep of UC Riverside after a tough 0-9 start in conference play.  He hit his first home run in an Aggie uniform, an eventual game-winning three-run shot off the scoreboard in right that propelled UCD to a 7-4 triumph on Saturday.  Patterson finished the game 3-for-5 with a double, three runs scored and four RBI in addition to his first career round tripper.  He also contributed defensively with a nifty diving stab on a grounder to start a double play in the ninth inning.

Patterson duplicated his three-run, three-hit effort in a 19-8 rout on Sunday.  He turned two doubles and his second home run of the series, as well as a sacrifice fly, into a career-high five-RBI effort.

For the week, Patterson had nine hits in 18-at bats with a slugging percentage of 1.000.

Others nominated:  Jordan Ellis (Cal Poly); Matt Chapman (Cal State Fullerton); Alexis Mercado (Cal State Northridge); Taylor Sparks (UC Irvine)


Morales Deals Another Gem To Improve To 9-0

UC Irvine junior Andrew Morales (Covina, Calif./Rio Hondo CC) claimed his second Big West Baseball Pitcher of the Week award with eight and one-third scoreless innings against Pacific.

The right-hander had the longest outing of his career as the Anteaters won a 1-0 pitcher's duel and claimed the series against the Tigers.  Morales scattered seven hits, walking one and striking out eight in a 125-pitch performance.  The eight whiffs came up just one short of his personal-best.

Morales, who improved to 9-0 on the season as UCI's Sunday starter, encountered runners in scoring position four times but left seven stranded as his ERA dwindled to 1.34. 

His effort came one day after the Tiger offense exploded for a season-high in runs in a 14-13 victory over UCI.

Others nominated:  Joey Wagman (Cal Poly); Grahamm Wiest (Cal State Fullerton); Jerry Keel (Cal State Northridge); Austin Pettibone (UC Santa Barbara)