Feb. 10, 2014
LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky junior catcher Griffin Joiner, who paced the UK offense last weekend with a .667 batting average, has been named the Southeastern Conference Player of the Week, it was announced Monday by the league office.
The native of Hopkinsville, Ky., went 10-for-15 over the weekend with two doubles, three home runs and nine RBI. The junior earned a .684 on-base percentage and 1.400 slugging percentage to lead Kentucky to a 5-0 record for the first time in school history.
Joiner’s season started in style with a 2-for-2 performance with two home runs and three RBI in UK’s season opener vs. Santa Clara, followed by a 4-for-4 game against Loyola Marymount with her first career grand slam and five RBI. Joiner is currently riding a five-game hitting streak, while recording an RBI and an extra-base hit in three of UK’s five games this season.
Joiner, who was named Preseason All-SEC last week, is a career .316 hitter with 17 home runs, which ranks tied for the eighth most homers all-time in school history. In 2013, Joiner had 14 doubles and 41 RBI, which ranks tied for fifth and seventh respectively on UK’s single-season records list. The 2013 All-SEC Second Team honoree has started every game during her UK career with a 127 career starts.
This is the second SEC weekly honor for Joiner in her career after being named SEC Freshman of the Week in 2012.
Kentucky is coming off a great opening weekend where it won all five games it played to post a school-best record of 5-0. UK’s biggest win came against No. 2 Oklahoma, tying the highest-ranked foe UK has ever defeated. The Wildcats also took down Santa Clara, Long Beach State, Loyola Marymount and George Washington.
The Wildcats will continue their 15-game road trip to start the season this weekend in Austin, Texas. The five-game, three-day tournament begins Friday against Louisiana Tech at 11 a.m. ET and No. 10/10 Texas at 5 p.m. ET. Live stats from every game will be available on UKathletics.com.
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