Fred Smith and Connor Seabold continued their outstanding starts to the 2016 season with their selections as Big West Baseball Field Player and Pitcher of the Week.
Catalyst Smith Helps CSUN to 5-0 Record
CSUN junior Fred Smith (Honolulu, Hawai‘i/El Camino College) batted .591 with four multiple-hit games to earn his first career Big West Baseball Field Player of the Week honor.
The second baseman, who has hit safely in all 17 games this season, went 13-for-22 at the plate to spark the Matadors, which defeated UCLA, William & Mary twice, and Connecticut twice to improve to 14-3 overall and extend their winning streak to nine straight.
Smith was a terror at the dish in a 20-12 win over No. 14 UCLA, going 3-for-6 with a double, two runs scored and three RBI.
He posted a four-hit game against William & Mary in an 11-7 triumph, smacking a double to go along with a pair of runs scored. Smith went 1-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI in an 11-3 win over the Tribe in game one of the doubleheader.
Smith then posted a combined 5-for-7 effort at the plate in another doubleheader sweep, lacing his third double of the week during 12-4 and 2-1 victories over Connecticut. Smith was responsible for 12 of CSUN’s runs with seven runs scored and five RBIs for the week. He also slugged .727.
Others nominated: Tanner Pinkston (Cal State Fullerton); Brock Lundquist (Long Beach State); John Brontsema (UC Irvine); Vince Fernandez (UC Riverside); Dempsey Grover (UC Santa Barbara)
Seabold Shuts Down Shockers
Cal State Fullerton sophomore Connor Seabold (Newport Beach, Calif./Newport Harbor HS) tossed six strong innings of one-hit ball to collect Big West Baseball Pitcher of the Week accolades.
The right-hander flirted with a no-hitter until surrendering a single in the sixth inning of Saturday’s 5-0 shutout of Wichita State. Making his first start of the season, Seabold was masterful in his six innings of work, issuing no walks and striking out six in 71 pitches.
Seabold mowed down the Shockers in the first, striking out the side on nine strikes. He sports a 1.10 ERA for the season with 20 strikeouts in 16.1 innings.
Others nominated: Kyle Smith (Cal Poly); Conner O’Neil (CSUN); Cameron Bishop (UC Irvine); Austin Sodders (UC Riverside); Noah Davis (UC Santa Barbara)