Bears Sweep Baseball Awards

University of Central Arkansas catcher Michael Marietta and pitcher Bryce Biggerstaff were named the Southland Conference Hitter and Pitcher of the Week on Tuesday by the league office, sweeping the weekly honors for the second time this season.

It was Biggerstaff’s second award of the season, and UCA’s fifth in the first month of the season.

Biggerstaff, a junior righthander from Central Arkansas Christian, finished off UCA’s series victory over then-No. 3 Mississippi State on Sunday, throwing a complete game and allowing eight hits and striking out three in the 7-3 victory. Biggerstaff was also honored two weeks ago after tossing a no-hitter against Jackson State.

Biggerstaff has a 2-0 record with a 2.25 earned run average in four starts this season.

Marietta, a senior catcher from Oak View, Calif., paced the UCA offense that went 3-1 on the week, including a 2-1 series win over the Bulldogs. Marietta was 7 of 15 (.467) with 5 RBI and 4 runs scored, including his first home run of the season off MSU closer Jonathan Holder on Friday night.

Marietta was 3 for 4 in the decisive victory on Sunday and had at least one hit, one run scored and and RBI in all four games on the week. He is hitting .351 on the season and is seventh in the SLC in on-base percentage (.474). Marietta is second in RBI, tied for second in runs scored and tied for fourth in total bases.

UCA, 14-2 overall and winner of 11 of its past 12 games, hosts Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 6 p.m. today before traveling to Southern Mississippi for a weekend series in Hattiesburg, Miss.