NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Davidson junior Eric Jones was chosen as the Atlantic 10 Baseball Player of the Week, while Davidson senior Connor Gordon was selected as Pitcher of the Week. La Salle freshman Tommy Toal was named the league’s Rookie of the Week. The awards, announced Monday, are for games played, Feb. 19-25.
Utility man Jones caught fire during the week, posting a .462 average after going 6-for-13 and guiding the 'Cats to four victories, including a 3-1 win over 2017 Super Regional participant Wake Forest. Five of Jones' hits were for extra-bases, including three homers (one grand slam). He also drove in 17 runs during the week, a Davidson record for a single week. Jones, who started at catcher all four games, clubbed two homers in Davidson's Sunday sweep of Georgetown, including his first collegiate grand slam. It was the third time in his career he's had a multi-homer game, and he also went yard and doubled in Saturday's contest. Jones' long ball Saturday was a part of a school-record setting day for the 'Cats, where their seven homers set a new single-game record. He drove in two against Wake Forest, three in Friday's contest, five on Saturday, and seven Sunday, after breaking the 5-5 tie with Georgetown in the bottom of the sixth. The Charlotte, N.C., native, posted a 1.308 slugging percentage and a .556 on-base clip.
In just his second collegiate start of his career, right-hander Gordon delivered a dynamic performance, tossing six shutout no-hit innings against Wake Forest, which was receiving votes in last week’s poll. Gordon faced just one batter over the minimum, working three-up, three-down frames for the first five consecutive innings. The North Bellmore, N.Y. product allowed just one walk as he earned his first win of the season, picking up four punch outs against the Demon Deacons, who led the nation a year ago in home runs.
A third-baseman from Springfield, Pa., Toal led La Salle with a .571 batting average over two games this past weekend, making his first two starts at third base. He drove in three runs and scored twice while posting a .714 slugging percentage. Toal was 2-for-3 with a run, an RBI, a double and a stolen base on Saturday. He then went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run in Sunday's win at The Citadel.