Spring Break
Roller's amazing week earns national recognition
Staff Reports
Issue date: 3/26/09 Section: Sports
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Roller, who was named the Conference USA and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Hitter-of-the-Week, batted .591 (13-for-22) and added four home runs, 15 RBI, two walks, one strikeout and five hit by pitches. He hit three homers in the Pirates' sweep of C-USA foe UCF, including two during Friday night's series opener.
The Rockingham, N.C., native scored 11 runs during the week and tied his career high by scoring four times against the Knights on Friday. Roller also recorded a career-high five hits with two round-trippers and five RBI in Friday's contest.
Over the five games last week, Roller posted four multi-hit and multi-RBI contests. He also helped ECU establish school and conference records for runs scored in consecutive games (52), school records for five-game scoring (90) and five-game hitting (98).
The left-handed power hitter continued his hot hitting Tuesday, when he lifted the Pirates (17-4, 3-0 C-USA) to a come from behind win over Campbell, 10-9.
After an RBI double in the first and his eighth home run of the season in the third frame, Roller ripped a two-out two-RBI single through the left side pushing across a pair of runs, giving ECU the lead heading into the bottom of the ninth inning. On the night, he went 4-for-6 with four RBIs and collected his fifth multi-hit and multi-RBI game in the last six contests.
Roller is the first Pirate to be named to the College Baseball Foundation National All-Star Lineup since Harrison Eldridge was selected on March 27, 2007 after helping the Pirates to a three-game sweep of Memphis, which extended ECU's winning streak to a then 13 games. Also that season T.J. Hose (March 12), Shane Mathews (March 19) and Dale Mollenhauer (March 19) were each tabbed to the National All-Star Lineup.
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