By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – For the second straight week and fourth time this season, the University of Tennessee at Martin baseball program has produced the Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week as Andrew Fernandez claimed that award today.
One week after his teammate Mac Danford became the first Skyhawk to ever win the OVC Player of the Week accolade twice in a single season, Fernandez now joins that illustrious list. Today’s announcement also marks the first time in school history that UT Martin has won that honor in back-to-back weeks.
Fernandez helped the Skyhawks go a perfect 4-0 this past week, including the program’s first sweep over OVC rival Southeast Missouri since 2006. The switch-hitting shortstop hit .556 (10-for-18) with four doubles, five runs scored, seven RBI’s and a stolen base during the four-game stretch. He slugged .778 and reached base at a .556 clip, striking out only once in 18 at-bats, helping UT Martin extend its winning streak out to six games (longest for the program since 2011).
A Kissimmee, Fla. native, Fernandez hit safely in all four games last week. He went 4-for-5 with three RBI’s and three runs scored in the 17-7 victory over Alabama A&M on Tuesday before pounding out six hits in 13 at-bats against Southeast Missouri over the weekend. His best game in that series came during Sunday’s finale as he drove in three of the Skyhawks’ five runs – including the game-winner on a walkoff double with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Fernandez currently leads the OVC in hits (76), RBI’s (53) and doubles (21) while ranking fourth in batting average (.349) and fifth in total bases (124). In conference play, he tops all players in hits (42), doubles (11) and assists (64) while ranking second in RBI’s (32) and third in total bases (74).
UT Martin closes out the 2023 regular season this weekend with a nonconference series at Illinois on May 18-20. The Skyhawks will then take part in the OVC Championship tournament in Marion, Ill. on May 24-27.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information