SEC recognizes Arkansas stars Biggers, Martin

Special to The Sentinel-Record/Crant Osborne PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Arkansas junior shortstop Jax Biggers fields the ball Saturday during the Hogs' sweep of No. 4 Kentucky at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville. He batted 11-for-15 in a doubleheader Saturday as the Razorbacks closed out the SEC sweep at home.
Special to The Sentinel-Record/Crant Osborne PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Arkansas junior shortstop Jax Biggers fields the ball Saturday during the Hogs' sweep of No. 4 Kentucky at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville. He batted 11-for-15 in a doubleheader Saturday as the Razorbacks closed out the SEC sweep at home.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas' offensive bonanza in a three-game sweep of the No. 4 Kentucky Wildcats over the weekend at Baum Stadium netted Razorback infielders Jax Biggers and Casey Martin honors from the Southeastern Conference on Monday.

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Special to The Sentinel-Record/Crant Osborne TEAM LEADER: Arkansas freshman Casey Martin lays down a team-leading third sacrifice bunt Saturday during the Razorbacks' three-game sweep of No. 4 Kentucky at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville. Martin also leads the Hogs in home runs and RBIs.

Junior shortstop Biggers, of Missouri Center, Texas, was named SEC Player of the Week and for the second time in the young season. Third baseman Casey Martin, of Lonoke, was named SEC Freshman of the Week.

The Razorbacks (16-4, 3-0) hit 13 home runs among 49 hits and 39 runs in the sweep of Kentucky (14-6, 0-3). They won, 9-4, on Friday before a pair of 14-2 and 16-6 wins in a doubleheader on Saturday.

Biggers went 2-for-3 with an RBI Friday night. He went 9-for-12 Saturday with two home runs, one in each game, and drove in seven runs.

For the five-game week, Biggers drew eight walks and hit .588 with two doubles, two home runs and seven RBIs from the leadoff spot. Arkansas also defeated Texas (12-9), 13-4 and 7-5, Tuesday and Wednesday in Fayetteville.

"Biggers turned it on this weekend," Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said. "He's been OK with the bat, keeping his average up there, really because he's an experienced player and knows how to take a walk and some things, but he hit the ball hard the past couple of days. He was a major plus for us at the top of the order."

Martin hit .358 with three home runs and seven RBI during the week. He has so excelled this season that his team-leading batting average dropped to .393 even as he extended his hitting streak to 13 games.

Martin also leads the Razorbacks in home runs with seven and RBIs with 22. He even leads the team in sacrifice bunts, of which he now has three after laying down one against Kentucky.

Perhaps most amazingly against Kentucky, Martin scored from first on a single to right.

"He can run, can't he?" Van Horn said, smiling at the close of Saturday's press conference.

The Razorbacks start a nine-game road schedule starting tonight and tomorrow against Charlotte (11-8) in North Carolina. Their next three-game SEC series will come this weekend in Gainesville, Fla., against the reigning national champion, No. 2 Florida (18-4).

Sports on 03/20/2018

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