After helping lead the Ole Miss baseball team to a sweep over No. 6 East Carolina to begin the 2017 season, sophomore center fielder Ryan Olenek was named Southeastern Conference Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday afternoon. Hitting .462 throughout the weekend, Olenek earned a weekly award for the first time in his young Rebel career.
Olenek spent most of his freshman season as the Rebels’ starting right fielder, but he was called upon to move to center field this year following All-American J.B. Woodman getting selected in the second round of the 2016 MLB Draft. He also moved to the top of the order on opening weekend. However, filling the shoes of an All-American and becoming more of a prominent piece of the lineup did not faze Olenek.
Starting all three games in center field, Olenek went 6-for-13 with two doubles over the weekend, recording at least one hit in each game. Batting second in the season opener, he ripped a double down the first base line for the Rebels’ first hit of the season before coming around to score the first run of the 2017 campaign as well. The Winter Springs, Florida, native went 3-for-4 with a double to lead the team in a 5-4 victory.
Batting in the leadoff spot for the first time in his career, Olenek put together another multi-hit game and plated one run in Saturday’s 3-2 win. Wrapping up the weekend, the Rebels trailed by four in the middle of the sixth of Sunday’s season finale. Ole Miss bounced back in the bottom half of the frame, and Olenek placed the cherry on top of a five-run inning. The sophomore smacked the game-winning two-run double that gave the Rebels the lead for good to complete the sweep.
Olenek and the Rebels will be back in action tomorrow (February 21) when they take on Arkansas State at 4 p.m. at Swayze Field. The game will air on SECN+ with Will Kollmeyer and David Dellucci on the call. For the latest news and updates involving Ole Miss Baseball, follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissBSB, on Facebook at Ole Miss Baseball and on Instagram at olemissbsb.
Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports
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