For the second time in the new baseball season, Missouri State sophomore Jake Burger has been tabbed the Missouri Valley Conference’s Player of the Week, the league office announce Monday.
Burger, who was cited for the same honor by the MVC last Monday, followed up an impressive start to the 2016 season with perhaps an even better second week, hitting .563 (9-for-16) with a home run and six RBIs to help MSU take two of its three contests at the Riverview Inn Governors Challenge this past weekend. The Bears third baseman logged three multi-hit games in as many outings last week, including a 4-for-5 effort Saturday vs. Alcorn State in which he established career highs for hits and RBIs (5). Burger also tallied two hits Friday vs. UConn, before finishing his weekend with a three-hit performance in Sunday’s road win over Austin Peay.
For the year, Burger is hitting .500 (14-for-28) and has been retired just 14 times in 32 plate appearances. He leads the Valley in all three triple crown categories–home runs (4), RBIs (13) and batting—as well as hits, slugging (.964) and total bases (27). Burger also ranks among the top 10 NCAA Division I players in both home runs per game (0.67) and RBIs per game (2.17).
Off to their third 5-1 start in the last four seasons, the Bears return to Springfield for their 2016 home opener against Oral Roberts, which has been moved to Wednesday (March 2) at 3:05 p.m., due to Tuesday’s bleak weather forecast. Bears' single-game tickets are priced at $5 for the general public, $2.50 for Missouri State faculty and staff, $2 for students and $4 per adult ($2 for children) for groups of 20 or more for the 2016 season. All children ages 12 and under will require a $2 ticket for admission.
