Popkins Named Big West Player of the Week

The sophomore hit .625 in five games to lead UC Davis offensively last week

	David Popkins is the Big West Player of the Week. (Wayne Tilcock)

May 24, 2010

IRVINE, Calif. –David Popkins was named the Big West Conference Field Player of the Week after leading UC Davis offensively in five games last week, it was announced Monday by the conference office.

The sophomore hit .625 to lead UC Davis to a 4-1 finish on the week and was 15-for-24 with six runs, 12 RBI, a double, two triples and two home runs. In addition, Popkins recorded the game-winning RBI in the tenth inning against UC Santa Barbara Sunday.

Popkins hit a triple in back-to-back games against Nevada and Santa Clara and the triple against the Broncos Wednesday was his only hit of the game.

Against UC Santa Barbara, Popkins was 11-for-14 with eight RBI, two home runs and four runs. In Saturday’s game, Popkins’ base hit drove in the game-tying run in the fifth inning and he sent home the game-winning run Sunday in the tenth inning after he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. The RBI capped off a performance in which Popkins went 4-for-4 with two two-run homers to drive in five Aggie runs.

In addition to his work at the plate, Popkins also picked up a win Wednesday against Santa Clara as UC Davis’ starting pitcher as he went six innings and struck out a season-high five batters.

Popkins currently leads the team in batting average (.387), runs (38), hits (67) and RBI (38).

The award is the first for Popkins in his career and marks the second honor for UC Davis in 2010.

UC Davis plays its final nonconference game of the season Tuesday at Stanford. First pitch is set for 5:30 p.m. at Klein Field at Sunken Diamond.