April 2, 2012
LEXINGTON, Ky. — After launching three homers with a team-high nine RBI, centerfielder Austin Cousino has been named Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week, it was announced on Monday morning by the league office.
Cousino, a native of Dublin, Ohio, helped carry No. 2 Kentucky to its first series win at Georgia since the 2000 season, as UK posted a 9-8 win in the second game and a 11-2 win in the rubber match on Sunday, after suffering a narrow 7-6 loss in the first game.
A 5-foot-10, left-handed hitter, Cousino belted three homers, hit .375 (6-for-15) and led the team with nine RBI during the four-game week, including a midweek win over Western Kentucky. Cousino has now homered in four of his last five games, including a stretch of three consecutive games with a homer during the week.
During the series at UGA, Cousino hit two homers and had six RBI, a stolen base, two sacrifice bunts and four runs scored. He hit a pair of three-run homers during the week, including one in the series opener vs. UGA helping UK erase a six-run deficit in the seventh inning. In the rubber match, Cousino went 2-for-5 with three RBI, including a two-run homer in the fourth inning to put UK up for good.
A 2011 first-team All-America in high school by Baseball America, Cousino ranks among the SEC leaders in nearly every offensive category halfway through his freshman year, ranking ninth in average (.358), eighth in slugging (.583), first in runs scored (31), third in hits (43), 11th in RBI (24), fourth in doubles (10), eighth in home runs (five), second in total bases (70), 10th in steals (six) and first in at bats (120). Cousino is also leading the club with four outfield assists. He already ranks among the all-time UK freshmen hitting records in home runs (ninth), 22nd in RBI and 22nd in hits through his first 28 career games. He has hit safely in 26 of his 27 games in 2012.
Cousino is the second UK star to win SEC Freshman of the Week in 2012, as two-way standout A.J. Reed was tabbed SEC Freshman of the Week earlier in the year during UK’s series sweep of No. 2 South Carolina on SEC-opening weekend. UK outfielder Zac Zellers has also earned a SEC Player of the Week honor in 2012.
Kentucky (27-2, 7-2 SEC) is off to the best start to a season in school history, leading the nation in wins and sitting alone atop the SEC standings through three of 10 grueling league weekends. UK will return to action on Wednesday, hosting Dayton at 6:30 p.m. ET at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
