Kentucky senior first baseman Hunter Gilliam has been on an absolute tear at the plate, leading the team to an impressive 5-0 week and a three-game sweep of Southern Illinois on the road. As a result, Gilliam has been named co-Southeastern Conference Player of the Week and one of Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s co-National Players of the Week.
The Farmville, Virginia native batted an incredible .619 (13-of-21) for the week, with four runs, five doubles, a triple, 11 RBI, two walks, and an HBP. He had multiple hits in all five games and multiple RBI in four of the five, capping off his amazing week with five RBI and two doubles on Sunday.
But this is just the latest in a long line of impressive performances for Gilliam. He’s started all 16 games this season, batting .410 with nine extra-base hits and 22 RBI, tying Devin Burkes for the team lead. He’s reached safely in all 16 games and owns a 10-game hit streak, with a team-high eight multi-RBI games and seven multi-hit games.
Gilliam’s 129 consecutive starts at the collegiate level are a testament to his durability and consistency. And with his impressive performance last week, he’s proven himself to be a force to be reckoned with at the plate.
It’s worth noting that sophomore catcher Devin Burkes was also named Collegiate Baseball’s co-National Player of the Week, adding to the Wildcats’ impressive start to the season. With players like Gilliam and Burkes leading the way, Kentucky is sure to continue making waves in the coming weeks.
