Following strong performances this past week, UAB 1B Josh Sears and FIU RHP Patrick Pridgen brought home C-USA baseball’s weekly awards, the league announced on Monday.
Sears helped lift the Blazers to a series win on the road this weekend at Southeastern Louisiana, while Pridgen helped FIU start its weekend off with a 1-0 win over Seton Hall shutting down the Pirates over seven shutout innings. The 2022 C-USA Players of the Week awards are presented by Surf & Turf Golf.
HITTER OF THE WEEK
JOSH SEARS, UAB
RS SENIOR, 1B, HUNTSVILLE, ALA.
Sears hit .385 with an OPS of 1.160 and six RBIs in the three-game series at Southeastern. The Huntsville, Alabama, native hit the go-ahead three-run home run in game three to aid in the 6-5 comeback win during the Blazers’ four-run ninth inning. Over the three games, Sears had two doubles and a home run. Sears was instrumental at the plate and in the field to help the Blazers secure the road series victory and improve to 6-1 on the season.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
PATRICK PRIDGEN, FIU
SOPHOMORE, RHP, APPLE VALLEY, MINN.
Pridgen tossed seven shutout innings, scattering five hits and punched out 13 in FIU’s 1-0 win over Seton Hall on Friday night. Pridgen's 13 strikeouts on Friday night tied for the most by a Panther pitcher since Robert Garica struck out 14 against Bethune-Cookman in 2017. Pridgen has also yet to allow an earned run in his two starts this season, and is a key component of the Panthers’ 7-2 start to the 2022 season.
2022 WINNERS
Hitter of the Week
F28 Josh Sears, UAB
F21 Jalen DeBose, Florida Atlantic
Pitcher of the Week
F28 Patrick Pridgen, FIU
F21 Kyle Crigger, LA Tech