MONROE, La. – ULM fifth-year senior outfielder
Gino Marucci – who hit .600 (9-of-15), scored seven runs and drove in five runs to help the Warhawks to a perfect 4-0 record for the week, including a three-game sweep against Georgia State – has been selected Sun Belt Player of the Week. Three of his nine hits went for extra bases.
Marucci went 3-for-4, including a two-run triple, and scored two runs in ULM's 16-2 non-conference win over Grambling State last Tuesday.
In Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader, he went 2-for-4, including an RBI double in the seventh in the Warhawks' 9-6 win over Georgia State. In Game 2 of the doubleheader, Marucci went 2-for-4 with two runs scored in ULM's 11-2 victory over the Panthers.
In Sunday's series finale, he went 2-for-3 and scored three runs in ULM's 9-4 win over Georgia State to complete the three-game sweep. His two-run homer to left field in the second inning tied the score. It marked ULM's first three-game Sun Belt series sweep since March 28-30, 2014, against Little Rock.
In the three-game series against Georgia State, Marucci hit .545 (6-of-11), scored five runs and drove in three runs. He finished with 10 total bases, including a double and home run.
The Baton Rouge, Louisiana, native has hit safely in all five games since being inserted in the starting lineup following the shoulder injury to
Turner Francis in Game 3 of the series at Coastal Carolina.
"
Gino Marucci played a key role in all four wins last week," first-year ULM head coach Mike Federico said. "The biggest thing is Gino has taken full advantage of being given an opportunity to play following the injury to
Turner Francis. He has provided a huge spark down the stretch. As a senior, Gino has seized his opportunity to contribute in the lineup, and he's been on a roll."
Marucci becomes the second ULM baseball player to earn the Sun Belt's weekly honor, joining red-shirt junior
Braedon Barrett, who captured the award in late February after hitting for the cycle in the Warhawks' 21-9 victory over Northern Kentucky.
