Baseball: Markel Named BIG EAST Player of the Week
April 13, 2009 12:29 PM | General
By Steve Stone for MSNsportsNET.com
April 13, 2009
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - West Virginia University baseball player Austin Markel has been named the BIG EAST Player of the Week, announced today by the BIG EAST Conference.
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| Senior Austin Markel continues to emerge as WVU's top power threat.
Brian Persinger photo |
The senior went 5-for-12 over the weekend to lead the Mountaineers to a critical series win over rival St. John’s. Markel’s three home runs, including one grand slam, helped WVU outscore the Red Storm, 30-15, while taking two of three games at Hawley Field.
The Elizabethville, Pa., native also drove in nine runs over the three-game set, and slugged 1.250 to help keep WVU tied for first place in the conference with USF. Markel also scored six runs and drew one walk during the weekend.
In game one with WVU leading 4-0 in the third inning, Markel hit a grand slam to right field to elevate the Mountaineers to a 9-3 series-opening victory. Although WVU fell, 10-5, in game two, Markel hit a two-run home run to right field in the fourth inning.
In WVU’s 16-2 rubber-game victory on Saturday, the centerfielder hit another two-run home run in the first inning to give the Mountaineers a 2-1 advantage, a lead they would not relinquish for the rest of the contest.
Markel leads WVU with eight home runs this season, which is tied for sixth in the BIG EAST. He is the first Mountaineer to earn conference player of the week honors in 2009. Starting right-hander Jarryd Summers, who was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll this week, was named BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week on March 9.
