March 26, 2002
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- Arizona State sophomore right fielder Andre Ethier has been named Pac-10 Baseball Player of the Week and Arizona sophomore right-hander Marc Kaiser has been named Pac-10 Baseball Pitcher of the Week for Mar. 19-25, Commissioner Tom Hansen announced today.
Ethier, from Phoenix, Ariz., hit .417 in ASU's series win at rival Arizona, including the two hits to lead the Sun Devils to a pair of victories. In the opening game against the Wildcats, he hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to cap ASU's five-run comeback, lifting the Sun Devils to 9-7 win. In Saturday's 10-6 win, Ethier hit a two-run home run in the seventh to break a 4-4 tie, leading ASU to a 10-6 win. For the weekend he was 5-for-12 with five runs scored, a double, a home run and five RBI. For the season he leads the 15th-ranked Sun Devils in hitting at .369 (38x103) with 10 doubles, two triples and two home runs. He has recorded 11 multi-hit games and has a hit in 20 of his 27 games played this year.
Kaiser, from Reno, Nev., tossed his second consecutive complete game of the season in Arizona's 10-1 win over Arizona State on Sunday. The five-hit outing helped the Wildcats avoid a series sweep to their rivals to the north and nearly ended ASU's NCAA consecutive games with a run record. Needing only 93 pitches, Kaiser posted three strikeouts and just one walk, in the third complete game performance of his career.
The Player of the Week honor is the first for Ethier in his career, and the 64th selection all-time for Arizona State. The Pitcher of the Week honor is the first for Kaiser in his career, and the 24th selection all-time for Arizona. ASU's Robbie McClellan was also honored as a Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week earlier this year.