Freshman Eldredge Named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week

May 16, 2011

IRVING, Texas –

Kansas freshman Ka’iana Eldredge has been named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week for the week of May 16. This marks the first time that Eldredge has been honored on the conference’s weekly awards.

The freshman from Honolulu, Hawaii enjoyed his best weekend as a collegiate athlete, going 8-for-11 in a four-game sweep of non-conference foe Alabama A&M. During the weekend series, Eldredge raised his season average from .226 to .264 and hit his first career home run. The freshman went 2-for-3 with three RBIs in KU’s win on Friday night and then collected four hits and scored four runs in a doubleheader sweep on Saturday.

He followed that up with a 2-for-2 effort with a pair of runs scored in the series finale Sunday. Eldredge is now tied for sixth on the team with 12 multi-hit games.

The freshman is joined on the conference’s honor roll this week by Baylor first baseman Max Muncy (Player of the Week) and Oklahoma State’s Mike Strong (Pitcher of the Week).

The Jayhawks will face Sunflower Showdown rival Kansas State in a three-game series beginning Friday night in Manhattan at 6:30 p.m. The series will shift to Lawrence for the Saturday and Sunday games, which both are slated for 6 p.m. starts. KU trails K-State by 1/2 game for the eighth and final spot in the Big 12 Baseball Championship.