Smith collects Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week

STAFF REPORTS

Texas State University pitcher Carson Smith collected Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week honors as selected by Collegiate Baseball on Monday after his dominant pitching performance on Friday against UTSA at Bobcat Ballpark when the junior struck out a career-high 14 batters over eight scoreless innings. In addition, Smith also was named the Southland Conference Pitcher of the Week for the third time this season.

Last Friday, Smith struck out the leadoff batter in all eight innings he pitched en route to a career-best 14-strikeout performance. The right-hander allowed just two hits, both singles, in his eight innings on the mound while keeping the Roadrunners off the scoreboard. Smith earned his seventh win of the season as the Bobcats won 3-0 before also defeating UTSA on Saturday and Sunday for the I-35 Rivalry Series sweep.

With the performance, Smith lowered his season ERA to 1.88, and he increased his season strikeout total to 97 in 81 1/3 innings. The outing was also Smith’s 10th consecutive quality start of at least six innings pitched with three-or-less earned runs allowed, the seventh longest active streak in the nation.

Smith was one of three players to receive Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week accolades on Monday, joining Mike Augliera of Binghamton and Jeff Holm of Michigan State.

So far this season, Smith has a 7-3 record to go along with a conference-best 1.88 earned-run average. His 97 strikeouts are the tops in the SLC and already surpass his total of 94 strikeouts from last season. Smith needs 31 strikeouts to surpass the single-season strikeout record of 127 set by Blake Williams in 2000.

Also receiving SLC weekly accolades was Sam Houston State’s Ryan Mooney, who was voted the Southland Conference Hitter of the Week. Texas State third baseman Kyle Kubitza was named an SLC Hitter of the Week honorable mention.