BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Ike Irish has been named the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week for the second time in as many weeks, the league office announced Monday.
After going 6-for-12 opening weekend against Indiana, Irish upped his game in second week of collegiate baseball, turning in a league-best 11 hits with multiple hits in all four games against North Alabama and USC.
The freshman from Hudsonville, Michigan, matched a then-season high with three hits and drove in a run in the run-rule win against North Alabama Tuesday. He then turned in two hits in each of the first two games against USC before recoding a season-best four hits in the finale, finishing the series 8-for-13 (.615) with three runs, a double, triple and two RBI.
Through his first seven career games, Irish leads the SEC with a .586 average and 17 hits. His average is good for second in the country and his hit total ranks fourth. Dating back to at least 1993, no Auburn player has recorded 17 hits in the first seven games of a season.
Irish and the No. 13 Tigers (5-1-1) continue non-conference play with a stretch of nine games in 12 days beginning Wednesday vs. Florida A&M at 6 p.m.