Mississippi State’s Brent Rooker leads the Southeastern Conference in nine offensive categories and is on track to have the greatest season by any player in the conference since new bat standards went into effect in 2011.
The redshirt junior first baseman might look back at Saturday as his signature performance. He hit three home runs, including a grand slam, and went 4-for-4 with six RBIs in a 10-6 victory against Kentucky.
“It’s still a little bit of a blur,” Rooker said Monday. “To hit one home run in a game is always fun. Hitting two is special. Hitting three is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Each home run was its own separate event. I went up to the plate after each one thinking, ‘No way I can do that again,’ and then it happened.”
For the third time this season and the second time in as many weeks, Rooker was named Southeastern Conference Player of the Week on Monday. He also was named a National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball and is also in the mix for USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Gold Standard Performance of the Week, voted on by fans.
During his five-game week, Rooker hit .625 (10-for-16) with nine runs scored, one double, six home runs, 13 RBIs, and five walks. He also was hit by pitch three times. He notched 29 total bases for a 1.813 slugging percentage and a .750 on-base percentage and helped lead MSU to a series win against Kentucky.
Rooker is the first back-to-back SEC Player of the Week since Georgia’s Gordon Beckham in 2008, and the first Diamond Dawg to accomplish the feat since Rex Buckner in 1992.
Rooker enters this week leading the SEC with a .448 batting average, 15 home runs, 19 doubles, 56 RBIs, 1.008 slugging percentage, .548 on-base percentage, 56 hits, 126 total bases, and 14 stolen bases. Nationally, he’s first in RBIs, slugging, and total bases and second in average, home runs and hits.
Rooker started the season batting cleanup but moved up to the No. 2 hole because he was getting pitched around with hitters struggling behind him in the order. Few teams have the 1-2-3 punch of the Bulldogs now, with leadoff batter Jake Mangum (.374), Rooker, and Ryan Gridley (.348).
MSU (22-12) won two of three against Kentucky and are tied for the SEC West lead with Arkansas and Auburn at 8-4.
“I’ve got a good supporting cast around me that’s allowing me to put up some numbers,” Rooker said. “I’ve got guys on base all the time I can drive in, and guys are hitting great behind me, and it makes people pitch to me a little bit. Give credit where credit is due. As a team we’re performing really well, which has allowed me to continue to see the ball really well.”
Rooker, who has six multi-homer games in his career, became the first MSU player to hit three in a game since 2010. Rooker’s first two homers against Kentucky came on a fastball and changeup from left-hander Zach Logue and his third on a fastball from Chris Machamer.
The feat was enhanced because it happened on Super Bulldog Weekend, the annual three-day extravaganza when all the spring sports teams play at home and the spring football game is held.
“He’s confident. He has a plan. He’s executing his game plan right now to perfection,” MSU coach Andy Cannizaro said. “Being able to do what he did, homer three times in front of 13,000 people here on Super Bulldog Weekend, is probably one of the coolest moments in Mississippi State baseball history, and you’re talking about a program with so much pride and tradition.”
A look around the country:
RECORD-TYING STREAK
Top-ranked Oregon State swept Utah to extend its winning streak to 23 games, tying the Pacific-12 Conference record set by Arizona State in 1988. Oregon State can break the record against Gonzaga today at home.
RUNS GALORE
With 48 runs against Boston College, North Carolina set a school record for runs in a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series. The Tar Heels won 17-7, 16-4 and 15-3. Their previous high three-game ACC total was 45 runs against Duke in 2002.
PENGUIN POWER
Youngstown State junior first baseman Andrew Kendrick hit two home runs against Wright State on Sunday and set the school record for homers in a season, with 13 in 24 games. Kendrick leads the nation with 0.54 homers a game, and his total ranks fourth.
DOUBLING THEIR PLEASURE
On Friday, Air Force’s Adam Groesbeck became the seventh player in the nation with six hits in a game. Four of those hits against UNLV were doubles, also matching the national season high. The Falcons’ 10 doubles in the 23-9 win tied the 29-year-old school record.
TOUGH NO-DECISION
Portland’s Kevin Baker gets credit for the toughest no-decision of the season. Baker pitched 10 shutout innings against Pepperdine on Sunday. He allowed seven hits, walked none and struck out 11 in a 115-pitch outing. Portland won 2-1 on a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the 16th. Marty Luckenbach followed Baker and worked five shutout innings. The win went to Tate Budnick, who worked the top of the 16th for his first win against six losses.
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