Benintendi Named NCBWA National Hitter of the Week

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – A day after earning SEC Player of the Week honors, sophomore Andrew Benintendi was named National Hitter of the Week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) as announced on Tuesday afternoon.

The NCBWA Board reviews candidates from every Division I Conference each week and names winners each Tuesday throughout the season.  Benintendi is joined by Maryland pitcher Mike Shawaryn as the two National Players of the Week.

Benintendi hit .444 in five games last week, leading Arkansas to a 4-1 mark and a No. 25 national ranking by D1Baseball and Collegiate Baseball as it handed consensus No. 1 Texas A&M its first series loss of the year. He Reached base in each of his final nine plate appearances against the Aggies and scored 10 runs in five games.

Currently the nation’s leader in home runs, Benintendi took to the long ball in midweek action, recording his 14th homer of the year last Wednesday against Stephen F. Austin to take over sole possession of the home run race. He has hit seven of his 14 home runs in the last 13 games.

After a perfect 7-for-7 week in stolen bases, including four against Texas A&M, Benintendi now ranks third in the SEC with 19 stolen bases on the year in just 22 attempts.

Over the last 14 games, the Cincinnati, Ohio native has raised his batting average 61 points and now ranks seventh in the league at .370, including a .382 average in SEC-only games.

Benintendi leads the SEC in home runs (14), slugging percentage (.733) and total bases (107) and ranks second in runs scored (43) and third in on base percentage (.475).

Arkansas will go for its fifth consecutive SEC series win this weekend, hosting Mississippi State in a three game set at Baum Stadium. The two teams will play Friday at 6:35 p.m., Saturday at 6:05 p.m. and Sunday at 1:05 p.m. Click here for tickets.

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