LUBBOCK, Texas (Texas Tech Press Release) – Texas Tech junior outfielder Stephen Smith was named the Big 12 Player of the Week on Monday after helping lead the Red Raiders to a series win over Milwaukee this past weekend.
This is the first career weekly award for Smith, who hit .571 overall (8-for-14) with seven runs scored, four doubles, five RBI, two stolen bases, a .857 slugging percentage and a .684 on-base percentage. He ended the weekend with at least a share of the Big 12 lead in five categories: hits, runs scored, doubles, total bases and on-base percentage.
Smith began the series going 4-for-5 with three RBI which marked the most hits for a Red Raider on Opening Day since John Capps also recorded four hits against Louisiana-Monroe in 2006. Three of Smith’s four hits came via doubles in Tech’s 12-3 victory.
Dating back to the start of the 1987 season, Smith is the only Red Raider to connect on three doubles on Opening Day. He added his fourth double of the series to cap a 2-for-3 day at the plate on Sunday.
Smith, who had at least one hit in all four games in the series, is the first Red Raider outfielder to receive Big 12 Player of the Week accolades since Adam Kirsch earned the honor on May 19, 2014.
Smith and the Red Raiders hit the road for the first time Wednesday night when Tech faces Sam Houston State in a 6:30 p.m. first pitch from Don Sanders Stadium in Huntsville. Tech will then travel to the Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic which begins Friday afternoon at Minute Maid Park in Houston.
