SAN FRANCISCO - Being the leader in a 4-0 week that included a ranked win and Territorial Cup series sweep earned Nu'u Contrades the Pac-12 Player of the Week Award, according to an announcement by the league office Monday afternoon.
The Maroon and Gold have won 10 of its last 11 games and sit alone atop the Pac-12 conference at 5-1 in league play. After Luke Keaschall took the same honor last week, Sun Devil Baseball is the only school in the conference that has multiple POTW recognitions this season. Contrades is the fifth Pac-12 POTW in the Willie Bloomquist era and second overall freshman this season with the award.
"We're extremely proud of Nu'u," said Arizona State Head Baseball Coach Willie Bloomquist. "We all know this was in the tank. He's been playing gold glove defense over at third base and he's totally bought in. Nu'u has been extremely patient and now we are all beginning to see the results that come with his level of talent.
In Wednesday night's midweek game against No. 25 Grand Canyon, he was 2-5 with a RBI double, plating the go-ahead run against the Lopes.
Facing the rival Arizona Wildcats over the weekend, Contrades was 7-14 (.500) with eight RBI, three runs scored, two doubles and two home runs in Sun Devil Baseball's sweep of the foes down south. He also plated the winning run in Saturday's series-securing victory and scored it in the series finale Sunday, making him responsible for three of the four winning runs in ASU's four games.
Saturday's contest against the Wildcats was Contrades' best performance, going 3-5 with a career-best five RBI and the go-ahead three-run jack in the sixth inning. If that was not enough, he had his second career four hit game with another bomb and three RBI in Sunday's effort.
For the week, Contrades was 9-19 (.473) with 10 RBI - of ASU 31 total - four runs scored, two doubles, two runs, only one strikeout in 19 plate appearances and a laughable .947 slugging percentage. This caps an 11 game stretch where he is batting 24-49 (.489) with 19 RBI, four home runs and five doubles.
The effort pushed Sun Devil Baseball to its second sweep of Arizona since the 2009 season and secured four wins against in-state opponents. Arizona State is back in action Tuesday night at 6:05 p.m. MST for a return-game against the UNLV Rebels, while resuming Pac-12 play in a three-game set beginning Friday night at Cal, with first pitch set for 7:00 p.m. MST.
The Maroon and Gold have won 10 of its last 11 games and sit alone atop the Pac-12 conference at 5-1 in league play. After Luke Keaschall took the same honor last week, Sun Devil Baseball is the only school in the conference that has multiple POTW recognitions this season. Contrades is the fifth Pac-12 POTW in the Willie Bloomquist era and second overall freshman this season with the award.
"We're extremely proud of Nu'u," said Arizona State Head Baseball Coach Willie Bloomquist. "We all know this was in the tank. He's been playing gold glove defense over at third base and he's totally bought in. Nu'u has been extremely patient and now we are all beginning to see the results that come with his level of talent.
In Wednesday night's midweek game against No. 25 Grand Canyon, he was 2-5 with a RBI double, plating the go-ahead run against the Lopes.
Facing the rival Arizona Wildcats over the weekend, Contrades was 7-14 (.500) with eight RBI, three runs scored, two doubles and two home runs in Sun Devil Baseball's sweep of the foes down south. He also plated the winning run in Saturday's series-securing victory and scored it in the series finale Sunday, making him responsible for three of the four winning runs in ASU's four games.
Saturday's contest against the Wildcats was Contrades' best performance, going 3-5 with a career-best five RBI and the go-ahead three-run jack in the sixth inning. If that was not enough, he had his second career four hit game with another bomb and three RBI in Sunday's effort.
For the week, Contrades was 9-19 (.473) with 10 RBI - of ASU 31 total - four runs scored, two doubles, two runs, only one strikeout in 19 plate appearances and a laughable .947 slugging percentage. This caps an 11 game stretch where he is batting 24-49 (.489) with 19 RBI, four home runs and five doubles.
The effort pushed Sun Devil Baseball to its second sweep of Arizona since the 2009 season and secured four wins against in-state opponents. Arizona State is back in action Tuesday night at 6:05 p.m. MST for a return-game against the UNLV Rebels, while resuming Pac-12 play in a three-game set beginning Friday night at Cal, with first pitch set for 7:00 p.m. MST.