By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech left fielder Jason Hinchman was recognized as both the Ohio Valley Conference's Player of the Week and a Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week powered by Diamond Sports as announced by the two entities on Monday.
Competing in four games for the purple and gold last week, the senior slugger turned in a huge showing at the plate to help keep the team one of five remaining undefeated Division I programs and off to its second-best start in program history at 10-0. The Golden Eagles picked up a midweek victory over North Alabama before returning to Cookeville for a three-game series sweep of Purdue Fort Wayne.
During the week, Hinchman hit. 550 with six runs scored, three doubles, four home runs, and 10 RBI. He slugged 1.300 with an on-base percentage of .571, smashing a long ball in each of the four contests.
At North Alabama, he drove in three with a pair of knocks and round-tripper. He followed it up with another pair of hits, including his dinger of the week, and two more RBI in the series opener with the Mastodons.
On Saturday, Hinchman delivered a double and one more tank with an RBI in the team's third win of the week. He rounded out the incredible showing with four hits in five at-bats on Sunday, crushing his third career grand slam and finishing with three runs, four RBI, and two doubles.
The Winston, Ga. native has slashed .438/.491/.813 this season while leading the OVC with five dingers and 19 RBI. On Sunday, he tied Chase Chambers (2015-18) for fifth on Tech's all-time career home run list, boasting 49 in his career thus far. He sits just one away from becoming just the fifth Golden Eagle to tally 50 in a career, and three from passing recent TTU Sports Hall of Fame inductee A.J. Kirby-Jones (2008-10) for fourth. The program and OVC record of 62 bombs is held by Tech greats Kevin Strohschein (2016-19) and Zach Stephens (2011-14).
Tech will put its perfect record on the line in a midweek tilt on Tuesday, heading to Huntsville, Ala. for a neutral-site match-up with 11-2 Auburn. First pitch is slated for 6:00 p.m. CT at Toyota Field, home of the Rocket City Trash Pandas, the Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
