UNO’s Howard, MCN’s Foster Earn Southland Baseball Weekly Honors
FRISCO, Texas – New Orleans’ Pearce Howard is the Southland Conference Hitter of the Week and McNeese’s Cameron Foster earns Pitcher of the Week honors, the league announced Monday. Weekly awards are presented by
GEICO.
The league’s RBI leader, Howard piled on to his tally with 13 runs driven in last week in a 2-2 week for the Privateers that features a series win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi over the weekend. He hit 12-for-19 (.632) at the plate and tallied at least two RBI in every game, including a career-high six in a series-opening win over the Islanders. UNO (21-16, 8-7 SLC) faces a tough slate this week, hosting LSU at 6:30 p.m. CT Tuesday before a three-game series at first-place Nicholls.
Foster appeared in four of the Cowboys’ five games this past week recording two saves and a win to help the team to a 4-1 mark and a sweep of conference foe Southeastern. He struck out seven through six innings of work and did not allow a hit in any of his appearances. Sitting in a tie for first, McNeese (23-17, 9-6 SLC) returns to the diamond to host ULM at 6 p.m. Tuesday before headed to the Gulf Coast for a three-game series with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
Hitter of the Week – Pearce Howard, New Orleans – Senior – Outfielder – Silver Spring, Md.
Howard was a tough out all week, hitting 12-of-19 (.632) with 13 RBI, a pair of home runs and five runs scored. In a series victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, he went 11-of-15 (.733) at the plate with 11 of his 13 RBI. Howard opened the weekend with a bang, tallying six RBI on a pair of singles and a home run to help run-rule the Islanders. He registered four hits in each of the other two games, driving in five runs and scoring three of his own. This marks his third weekly honor of the season and the fourth of his career.
Honorable Mention: Brennen Bales, HBU; Brad Burckel, McNeese; Garrett Felix, Nicholls; Jeffrey Elkins, Northwestern State; Tyler Finke, Southeastern.
Pitcher of the Week – Cameron Foster, McNeese – Redshirt Senior – Closer – Houston, Texas
Foster shut the door on an 8-4 non-conference victory over Sam Houston on Monday after getting the ball with two on and two out. He came on in relief two days later against ULM with a runner on third and struck out a pair in an inning of work to send the game to extra innings. Foster struck out five Lions over four innings in a season-opening win over Southeastern and picked up his conference-leading 10
th save after tallying the final two outs in Sunday’s win. This marks his second weekly award of the season.
Honorable Mention: Matthew Charles, HBU; Tyler Theriot, Nicholls; Johnathan Harmon, Northwestern State.
Southland weekly award winners are nominated and voted upon by each school’s sports information director. Voting for one’s own athlete is not permitted. To earn honorable mention, a student-athlete must appear on 25 percent of ballots.
2022 Southland Baseball Players of the Week
April 25 – Pearce Howard, New Orleans; Cameron Foster, McNeese
April 18 – Bryce Grizzaffi, Southeastern; Tyler Theriot, Nicholls.
April 11 – Ridge Rogers, UIW; Brandon Mitchell, New Orleans
April 4 – Pearce Howard, New Orleans; Jaime Ramirez Jr., Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
March 28 – Alec Paz, Nicholls; Johnathan Harmon, Northwestern State
March 21 – Amani Larry, New Orleans; Adam Guth, Southeastern
March 14 – Garrett Felix, Nicholls; Collin Horton, New Orleans
March 8 – Brendan Ryan, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi; Cameron Foster, McNeese
March 1 – Pearce Howard, New Orleans; Michael Garza, UIW
Feb. 22 – Jake Miller, HBU; Grant Rogers, McNeese