Feb. 24, 2014
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky junior A.J. Reed, already honored as the Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week, has been named Southeastern Conference Player of the Week, it was announced by the league office on Monday afternoon.
Reed had a historic week for the Wildcats, belting five homers and driving in 11 RBI in a three-game span. A first-team preseason All-America selection, Reed became the first UK player with five homers in a three-game span in school history, while also posting seven, one-run innings on the mound Friday for the win. Reed became the first UK player to hit two homers in an inning, including a grand slam, since Jason Kipnis in 2007. After smacking a go-ahead single at Old Dominion in the third inning, Reed erased a one-run hole with a solo homer in the seventh inning of UK’s comeback win on Saturday. On Sunday, Reed had his second two-homer game of the weekend.
On the year, Reed has hit .433 (13-for-30) with 10 runs, three doubles, six homers and 17 RBI in seven games, with eight of his RBI coming as two-out hits. On the mound, he has a 2-0 record – including a season-opening win over No. 1 Virginia – with a 1.50 ERA in 12 innings. In his career, Reed has hit .300 at the plate with 23 homers and 112 RBI, with a 9-11 record and a 3.28 ERA in 148 innings on the mound.
In the SEC stats, Reed ranks as the league leader in slugging (1.133), hits (13), RBI (17), home runs (six) and total bases (34). He also ranks fifth in the league in average, second in runs, 11th in innings pitched and is tied for the SEC lead in wins.
He was honored by Louisville Slugger and Collegiate Baseball as one of four national players of the week, marking the second time in his career to earn that weekly honor. Reed has earned three SEC weekly accolades in his career, as he was named SEC Freshman of the Week on April 2, 2012 and SEC Player of the Week on March 5, 2013 after a 15-RBI week.
Kentucky (5-2) returns to action on Tuesday with its home opener vs. Wright State at 4 p.m. ET at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
