DALLAS – Following standout performances this week, UTSA designated hitter Taylor Smith and Rice LHP J.D. McCracken earned the final C-USA weekly honors of the 2023 season. The 2023 C-USA Players of the Week are presented by Blenders Eyewear.
 
Hitter of the Week – Taylor Smith, UTSA – Sr. – DH – Georgetown, Texas
Smith becomes the third different Roadrunner this season to bring home Hitter of the Week honors after a monster week at the plate. The senior out of Georgetown, Texas, went 9-for-20 while launching six home runs, a triple, a double and 10 RBI. Three of Smith’s six home runs came in Thursday night’s extra-inning 18-16 win over Louisiana Tech, tying the program record for homers in one game. He then blasted two more long balls on Friday night. Smith also hit a game-tying grand slam on Tuesday at Abilene Christian. His six home runs on the week brought his season total to 17, just one shy of the program record.
 
Pitcher of the Week – J.D. McCracken, Rice – So. – LHP – Murfreesboro, Tenn.
McCracken was outstanding in his final regular season start of the 2023 campaign. The sophomore lefty worked a career-best 7.2 innings holding FIU to just one hit and one earned run as he struck out six and walked two. After allowing a run in the first, McCracken went on to retire 17 straight batters and combined with two other arms for their first one-hit shutout since 2018. He set that stage for Rice to clinch the final spot in the C-USA Championship that starts this week at Rice University.
 
2023 Baseball Hitters of the Week
F20         Austin Knight, Charlotte
F27         Philip Matulia, LA Tech
M6         Antonio Valdez, UTSA
M13       Nolan Schanuel, Florida Atlantic
M20       Caleb Hill, UTSA
M27       Brayton Brown, UAB
A3           Ethan Mann, DBU
A10        Nolan Schanuel, Florida Atlantic
A17        Tristin Garcia, WKU
A24        Jace Grady, DBU
May1     Ty Crittenberger, WKU
May8     Nathan Humphreys, DBU
May15  Grant Jay, DBU
May22  Taylor Smith, UTSA
 
2023 Baseball Pitchers of the Week
F20         Braxton Bragg, DBU
F27         Simon Miller, UTSA
M6         Brooks Walton, UAB
M13       Devyn Terbrak, WKU
M20       Cameron Hansen, Charlotte
M27       Ryan Johnson, DBU
A3           Parker Smith, Rice
A10        James Sells, Middle Tennessee
A17        Wyatt Hudepohl, Charlotte
A24        Cameron Hansen, Charlotte
May1     Brooks Walton, UAB
May8     Robert Wegielnik, Florida Atlantic
May15  Robert Wegielnik, Florida Atlantic
May22  J.D. McCracken, Rice