Feb. 28, 2011
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By Brian Ormiston
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Lifting UCF to a 3-1 record against four potential NCAA Tournament teams last week, sophomore Darnell Sweeney (Miramar, Fla.) was named the Conference USA Hitter of the Week Monday. The switch-hitting shortstop went 11-for-17 at the plate for a .647 average while also finishing with a 1.759 OPS.
Sweeney currently leads the league with a .500 average, an .857 slugging percentage, six doubles and two triples.
Kicking off the week with a 13-0 win at Bethune-Cookman Feb. 22, Sweeney went 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs, falling a home run short of hitting for the cycle.
The Knights then traveled to the South Alabama Classic and Sweeney posted a pair of hits including a double in a 9-4 triumph against host South Alabama Feb. 25. In day two of the tournament, UCF fell to Southeastern Louisiana 7-2 but Sweeney was 2-for-3, and he capped off the weekend by going 4-for-5 in a 12-4 victory over No. 29 Alabama. In the win against the Crimson Tide, Sweeney had three doubles, two RBI and two runs.
In all, Sweeney had five doubles, a triple, five runs, six RBI three walks, no strikeouts, a stolen base and was 19-for-19 in chances at shortstop. This was Sweeney's second-career C-USA weekly award.
UCF stands at 6-1 on the year and hosts Maine Wednesday at 4 p.m. which begins a 13-game homestand. Tickets can be purchased by calling (407) 823-1000.