Tyler Smith Named Player of the Week
Jackson, Tenn. - The Southern League announced that Jackson Generals' infielder Tyler Smith was named the league's Player of the Week on Monday. Smith hit .455 with a league-best four doubles in six games for the Generals from May 4 to the 10th. This is the first weekly honor for a Jackson player in 2015.
Smith was on the disabled list from April 23 to May 4, and he has done nothing but hit since. The Thousand, Oaks, Calif. Native went 10-for-22 (.455) with a home run, four doubles, five RBIs and five walks in the six games he played for Jackson last week. He only struck out four times, while carrying an on-base percentage of .571 in those contests. In addition to leading the circuit in doubles, Smith was tied for the Southern League lead in total bases (17) and extra-base hits (5) over that span.
In his return from the disabled list on Monday against Pensacola, Smith led the way in Jackson's 15-4 with a 3-for-3 effort that included a pair of doubles and two RBIs. He capped off the week with a pair of two-hit games in Chattanooga. On Saturday, he went 2-for-5 with his first home run of the season at AT&T Field.
Smith has reached base safely in 10-straight contests and ha has a hit in seven consecutive games dating back to April. He has raised his average from .150 to .314-where it stands after Sunday's game-since the on-base streak started April 17.
This is the first-ever weekly honor for Smith. In 2013, he was named a postseason All-Star and Appalachian League MVP with the Pulaski Mariners.
Smith and the Generals open up a five-game series with the Biloxi Shuckers Monday night, with Danny Hultzen scheduled to start for Jackson. First pitch is slated for 7:05 pm CT and you can listen to all the action on the TJ Network (AM 1390, FM 94.1 and 94.3) starting at 6:50 pm with the Jackson Generals Pregame Show protected by the Tennessee Army National Guard.
In addition to Hultzen's scheduled start, the five-game series features a Two-For-Tuesday (May 12), an Education Day (May 13) and a State Farm Agent Wes Harris Dollar Night (May 14). The series concludes with Prom Night and a Denny's Free Cash Friday on May 15. Tickets to all five contests are still available by calling the Generals at (731) 988.5299, stopping by the park or going online to jacksongeneralsbaseball.com.