April 28, 2003
TEMPE, Ariz. (www.TheSunDevils.com) -- Arizona State's Jeremy West has been named the Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week and the Pac-10 Baseball Player of the Week after his offensive explosion in the Sun Devils' three-game series sweep of Washington State over the weekend.
West had a big weekend at the plate, combining to go 9-for-16 (.562) with seven runs scored, five home runs and 13 RBI in the three game series against the Cougars. He also recorded 24 total bases for a 1.500 slugging percentage. He hit one home run in each of the first two games, including a walk-off two-run homer in the Saturday game in the 10th inning, and then tied the ASU single-game record with three home runs on Sunday's 25-0 win. He became only the eighth Sun Devil to hit three homers in a game and the first since Jim Austin hit three vs. Grand Canyon in 1991. His nine RBI in the game also tied the school record set by Tommy Adams in 1990 and earlier this year by teammate Jeff Larish (San Diego State; 1/26/03).
The junior from Las Vegas, who on Sunday made his first start in the field at first base this year after 37 previous starts at designated hitter, hit a two-run homer in the first inning, a grand slam in the third and added his third blast with a three-run homer in the eighth. He also added singles in the second and seventh innings to record a career high in hits. He also has hit at least one home run in each of his last six games vs. Washington State dating back to the 2002 season. His five hits Sunday increased his season batting average to .361 (48-for-133) and he is now hitting .472 (17-for-36) in 11 Pac-10 games. With his three home runs Sunday (his second career multi-homer game) he now has 14 on the year (one behind teammate Jeff Larish for team lead) and is now only two off the ASU career top 10 with 33.
The Pac-10 honor is West's second of the year (also earned the award Feb. 25) and the fourth of his career. ASU has now earned 69 weekly player of the week honors. The Sun Devils, who moved up in the rankings from No. 11 to No. 8 by Baseball America, and No. 7 to No. 4 by Collegiate Baseball, are tied for first in the Pac-10 with a 42-9 overall record and a 10-5 mark in conference play. They return to the field this Wednesday for a non-conference contest with the University of Oklahoma at Bricktown Ballpark in downtown Oklahoma City.