Baseball

Valdez of UC Davis and Sakaino of Hawai'i Earn First Player of the Week Awards of the Season

All-Time Big West Baseball Weekly Winners >>>
Field Player of the Week 
Shunsuke Sakaino, Hawai'i | Senior • Second Base • San Diego, Calif.  
8036
  • Shunsuke Sakaino of Hawai'i slashed .583/.688/.833 with seven hits, seven RBI and five runs scored in four wins against Marshall to win The Big West Baseball Field Player of the Week award. It is Sakaino's first career weekly honor from the conference.  
     
  • In Friday's opening day victory, the senior went 1-for-2, with a 2-RBI double i the sixth inning that helped spark a 9-8 comeback win.
     
  • Sakaino collected one hit, one RBI and one run in a 6-2 triumph in game two of the series, Saturday.
     
  • The San Diego, Calif. product went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs, including the walk-off RBI in the ninth inning for a 7-6 victory in Saturday's nightcap. 
     
  • In the final game of the series on Sunday, Sakaino collected two more hits with two RBI and one run as the Rainbow Warriors prevailed 10-2 to complete the sweep of Marshall. 

    Also Nominated: Colton Boardman (CSUN), Chase Call (UC Irvine), Michael Crossland (UC San Diego), Andrew Kirchner (Cal State Fullerton), Nick Leehey (UC Davis), Dylan Lina (Long Beach State), Nick Mascaro (Cal State Bakersfield), Jonathan Mendez (UC Santa Barbara). 
Pitcher of the Week
Noel Valdez, UC Davis | Senior • Right-Handed Pitcher •  South San Francisco, Calif.  
8137
  • UC Davis pitcher Noel Valdez tossed 6.0 shutout innings in a win against Gonzaga to claim The Big West Baseball Pitcher of the Week award. It is Valdez's first career weekly honor from the conference.   
     
  • The righty started game two of the three-game series, Saturday, and pitched six shutout innings, allowing four hits, no walks with three strikeouts. The Aggies defeated the Bulldogs 3-1 to even the series. 
     
  • UC Davis currently has a 2-1 record to start the season with Valdez sporting a perfect 0.00 ERA. 

    Also Nominated: Matthew Dalquist (UC San Diego), Ryan Halamicek (CSUN), Ryan King (Cal State Bakersfield), AJ Krodel (UC Santa Barbara), Liam O'Brien (Hawai'i), Jack Ross (UC Irvine).