Brent Rooker Named SEC Player of the Week
March 14, 2016 | Baseball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – After hitting .583 with a 1.167 slugging percentage and leading the No. 15 Mississippi State baseball team to a perfect 4-0 week, sophomore outfielder Brent Rooker was named Southeastern Conference Player of the Week, the league announced Monday. Rooker is the first Bulldog to earn the honor since catcher Nick Ammirati did so on April 23, 2013.
The Germantown, Tennessee, native played in all four wins, finishing the week 7 for 12 with seven RBIs, four runs, two home runs and a double.
As a pinch hitter Tuesday against a now 12-4 South Alabama squad, Rooker hit a game-winning two-RBI double down the left field line.
The slugger's midweek performance carried over to the weekend, as Rooker drove in a run in every game against No. 10 Oregon, leading MSU to its first sweep against a Top-10 squad since 2012. On Friday and Sunday, the team captain tied career highs with three hits, two runs scored and a home run.
For the season, Rooker is hitting .377 with a team-leading 20 RBIs. The outfielder has hit two home runs in his last nine at-bats after hitting two in his previous 118 career at-bats. Rooker has also tallied 10 runs, six doubles, five walks, two stolen bases and a triple this spring.
Rooker and the Diamond Dawgs (12-3-1) return to action Tuesday at Dudy Noble Field for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch against Eastern Kentucky (7-8). For more information on the baseball program, follow the squad on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateBB." You can also find all-access coverage of the program on SnapChat by searching for "HailStateSnap."
