VIDEO: Brandon Roberts Interview
ROCK HILL – S.C. – Senior third baseman Brandon Roberts (Davie, Fla.) was named the South Atlantic Conference Player of the Week Tuesday becoming the first Carson-Newman player since catcher Kevin Franchetti took home the honors on March 5, 2013. In addition to the conference honor, Roberts was tabbed the Tennessee Sportswriters' Association Player of the Week.
Roberts is the second Eagle this season to earn a weekly honor by the league as senior hurler Vince Apicella (Dillsburg, Pa.) was the pitcher of the week on Feb. 16.
"It means a lot," Roberts said. "I've seen Vince the past two years get that award a few times and I actually played with Kevin Franchetti back in my freshman year. For me to now get it my senior year it means a lot. It's more of a team award to me. It's good for coach Griff to have a hitter get it for the first time in a while. That guy works so hard and we have put a lot of time in in the cage."
In Carson-Newman's first-ever four-game sweep against McKendree at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex, Roberts tallied seven hits, three home runs, six RBIs and 10 runs scored while notching a trio of multi-hit outings. In the game of the series, the senior hit a pair of home runs driving in three runs and scoring three times in an 8-1 victory.
Roberts's season total of six home runs leads the conference and surpasses his career total of five dingers in his opening three years at Mossy Creek. He has hit five home runs in his last six games. The six roundtrippers rank fourth at the Division II level this season.
"Seeing all of those home runs has been a lot of fun," Roberts said. "I've had more this year than I had in my first three years. With coach Griff in the cage, we have all worked on some things to create flight, create backspin and get our hands extended. It's really been what has carried our team so far offensively."
The Davie, Fla. native has a hit in all 14 games of the season to this point with a .442 batting average ranking eighth in the SAC in that category.
To date, Roberts has seven multi-hit games this season while not going more than two-straight games with at least two hits and five multi-RBI outings. His 23 total hits in 2016 rank seventh in the SAC.
Roberts and the Eagles are in action Wednesday afternoon when Bluefield State comes to Jefferson City, Tenn. for a 2 p.m. first pitch. The Eagle Sports Network will provide an audio and video stream for fans by visiting cneagles.com/live.
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