Stephen F. Austin’s Fikes, McNeese’s Deaton Earn Weekly Baseball Honors
FRISCO, Texas – Stephen F. Austin outfielder Conner Fikes is the Southland Conference Hitter of the Week, and McNeese right-hander Rhett Deaton is the league’s Pitcher of the Week. The conference announced the awards Monday. Both honors are presented by
UniversalCoin.com.
Hitter of the Week – Conner Fikes, Stephen F. Austin
Through the course of a milestone weekend, senior Conner Fikes became the fourth player in program history to reach 200 hits in a career and the seventh player in program history to amass 100 or more RBIs by going 10-for-20 at the dish with a team-best 11 RBIs in four games.
The Rowlett, Texas (Rowlett High School), product registered five extra-base hits including a pair of triples that pushed his career total to 11 – the second-most in program history.
In the Lumberjacks’ second game at UIW, the senior totaled seven RBIs, becoming the first SFA player in seven years to rack up that many in a single game.
Fikes has helped the ‘Jacks to nine consecutive wins – the third longest winning streak in program history and the second-longest active streak among all NCAA Division I squads.
Hitter of the Week Honorable Mention: Carson Crites, Southeastern Louisiana; Hunter Hearn, Sam Houston State
Pitcher of the Week – Rhett Deaton, McNeese
Rhett Deaton pitched past Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday as he turned in his first complete game as a Cowboy and helped McNeese to a 4-1 win over the Lions.
Deaton improved to a perfect 4-0 on the year after having tossed 9.0 innings and surrendered only one run despite scattering three hits and four walks.
The Winnsboro, Texas (Paris Community College), native fanned six batters in the game.
Deaton, a sophomore, is the first Cowboy to toss a complete game since Ethan Stremmel against Central Arkansas last season. It was the first time a McNeese baseball squad had defeated Southeastern since 2012.
In league play, Deaton is 3-0 with a 1.47 ERA in four starts with 23 strikeouts and eight walks.
Pitcher of the Week Honorable Mention: Seth Ballew, Sam Houston State; Cody Davenport, Central Arkansas; Cole Stapler, Nicholls
Previous baseball players of the week in 2017:
Hitter
Week 1: Nate Fisbeck, McNeese
Week 2: Reid Russell, Lamar
Week 3: Derek Scott, Abilene Christian
Week 4: Taylor Schwaner, Southeastern Louisiana
Week 5: Matt Gallier, McNeese
Week 6: Chad Fleischman, Lamar
Pitcher
Week 1: Heath Donica, Sam Houston State
Week 2: Mike Hanchar, Nicholls
Week 3: Cole Stapler, Nicholls
Week 4: Mike Hanchar, Nicholls
Week 5: Corey Gaconi, Southeastern Louisiana
Week 6: Mark Moyer, Central Arkansas
Each school’s sports information director nominates and votes for the players of the week, though is not permitted to vote for his or her own player. To receive honorable mention, a player must receive votes from 25 percent of the Southland sports information directors.