TUSCON, Ariz. — After collecting 13 hits in 19 at bats during a four-game week, Kentucky junior third baseman Thomas McCarthy has been named Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week, as announced by Collegiate Baseball on Monday afternoon.
A native of Corvallis, Ore., McCarthy hit .684 during the week with nine RBI in UK’s four games, leading the Wildcats to a series win over Georgia and a midweek win over Indiana. During the weekend series, McCarthy hit .714 (10-for-14) with two doubles, two homers and eight RBI, belting a two-homer game on Saturday to help UK clinch the series. McCarthy’s offense helped carry the Wildcats to their first series win over Georgia since 2007, falling just shy of UK’s first sweep over the Bulldogs since 1993.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder extended his club-best hitting streak to seven games and owns five consecutive three-or-more-hit games. In the series-opener with Georgia, McCarthy batted 3-for-4 with a double, before exploding on Saturday with four hits, two homers and four RBI. In the series finale on Sunday, McCarthy collected three hits with three RBI and his SEC-leading 19th double of the year. In a mid-week win over Indiana, McCarthy went 3-for-5 with an RBI.
On the year, McCarthy leads UK with a .359 average, totaling one triple, seven homers and 34 RBI, stealing eight bases. In conference play alone, McCarthy has hit a staggering .392 with eight doubles, one triple, five homers and 19 RBI. He leads UK with 27 two-out hits and has added 17 two-out RBI, hitting .403 with two outs. McCarthy has added a team-leading 17 two-strike hits.
Kentucky returns to action in its home finale on Tuesday, hosting Western Kentucky at 6:30 p.m. ET at Cliff Hagan Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on the Big Blue Sports Network (radio), with the Voice of UK Baseball, Neil Price, calling the action. Fans in Lexington can hear the game live on WLAP 630-AM, in Louisville on WKJK 1080-AM and online at UKathletics.com.
Collegiate Baseball also tabbed UCLA right-hander Trevor Bauer, who threw his sixth consecutive complete game last weekend, Loyola Marymount right-hander Aaron Griffin and North Carolina A&T outfielder Xavier Macklin Louisville Slugger National Players of the Week.
