PHOENIX– Sun Devil Baseball infielder Matt King has been named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week, announced by the league office on Monday.
King batted a monstrous .588 (10-17) over the four-game stretch, including three hits in each of the three games against Utah. The senior collected four extra-base hits, five RBIs and scored six runs en route to a 3-1 record for the Sun Devils. He is the fifth Sun Devil to earn Conference recognition this season and the second to be named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week.
King saw his batting average climb from .288 to .345 amidst the tear. The .345 average is good for second on the team, trailing only Kyle Walker (.369). King now also owns a .441 OBP, which comes in at third on the team, trailing Walker (.467) and Landon Hairston (.453).
King has been a tough out all season for opposing pitchers. He has struck out only eight times in 87 at-bats (1 per 10.9 AB's). That statistically marks him as the four-toughest batter to strike out in the Big 12 among qualified hitters and 75th in the nation.
King is one of the most veteran players in Division I baseball this season, finding himself ranked on a slew of active career leader lists among D1 players including games played (28th/187), at-bats (32nd/680), runs (40th/147), hits (29th/210), doubles (18th/46), HBP (21st/42), and sac flies (2nd/16).
King and the rest of the Sun Devils will look to stay hot as a massive week against Cal State Fullerton and rival Arizona waits ahead.
King batted a monstrous .588 (10-17) over the four-game stretch, including three hits in each of the three games against Utah. The senior collected four extra-base hits, five RBIs and scored six runs en route to a 3-1 record for the Sun Devils. He is the fifth Sun Devil to earn Conference recognition this season and the second to be named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week.
King saw his batting average climb from .288 to .345 amidst the tear. The .345 average is good for second on the team, trailing only Kyle Walker (.369). King now also owns a .441 OBP, which comes in at third on the team, trailing Walker (.467) and Landon Hairston (.453).
King has been a tough out all season for opposing pitchers. He has struck out only eight times in 87 at-bats (1 per 10.9 AB's). That statistically marks him as the four-toughest batter to strike out in the Big 12 among qualified hitters and 75th in the nation.
King is one of the most veteran players in Division I baseball this season, finding himself ranked on a slew of active career leader lists among D1 players including games played (28th/187), at-bats (32nd/680), runs (40th/147), hits (29th/210), doubles (18th/46), HBP (21st/42), and sac flies (2nd/16).
King and the rest of the Sun Devils will look to stay hot as a massive week against Cal State Fullerton and rival Arizona waits ahead.