ELMHURST, Ill. – South Dakota State University outfielder Phil Velez was honored Monday as Summit League Baseball Player of the Week after helping lead the Jackrabbits to a weekend sweep over Fort Wayne.
In two games, Velez batted .857 (6-for-7) and drove in seven runs, highlighted by a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning of the series finale April 8 in Joplin, Missouri. A senior from Des Moines, Iowa, Velez went 4-for-4 in the second game of an April 7 doubleheader, then was 2-for-3 with a career-high six runs batted in the next day. He also tallied a 1.429 slugging percentage, scored four times and threw out a runner at home plate during the series.
Velez is the first Jackrabbit to earn player of the week honors this season.
SDSU is scheduled to play Tuesday night at Creighton in nonconference action. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m. at TD Ameritrade Park in downtown Omaha, Nebraska.
Photo from www.gojacks.com.
