SEC Baseball Players Of The Week: March 31
by Staff Reporter
March 31, 20250 Comments

Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
On Monday, the SEC announced the league's Baseball Players of the Week for March 31:
Player of the Week: Will Gasparino, Texas
Texas’ Will Gasparino hit five home runs and totaled 13 RBI to lead Texas to a perfect 4-0 week, including a sweep at Missouri. Gasparino posted a .533/.588/1.600 slash line, leaving the yard in three of the four wins. The sophomore mounted two multi-homer performances and three multi-hit games to help the Longhorns secure their best start to conference play since 2010. In the series opener at Missouri, Gasparino socked a pair of three-run blasts and drove in eight runs. Gasparino followed with two solo shots on Saturday.
Co-Pitcher of the Week: Zach Root, Arkansas
Arkansas’ Zach Root twirled a career-long 7.2 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts in Friday night’s series-opening shutout win at top 25 ranked Vanderbilt, helping lead the Razorbacks to their first series sweep in Nashville since 1994. The left-hander, who earned his team-leading fourth win and third quality start of the season, blanked the Commodores over 7.2 innings of work, the longest outing by an SEC pitcher during the week, and carried a no-hitter into the fifth. Root, who became the first Arkansas pitcher to record back-to-back starts of at least seven innings since 2022, combined with Razorbacks relief pitchers Aiden Jimenez and Dylan Carter for Arkansas’ first three-hit shutout since 2024.
Co-Pitcher of the Week: Ruger Riojas, Texas
Texas’ Ruger Riojas pitched a career-long seven shutout innings to guide Texas to a 7-1 sweep-securing win at Missouri. Riojas (6-1) recorded a career-high 10 strikeouts, allowing only two hits and zero walks. The junior faced one batter over the minimum, retiring 16 of the first 17 Tigers he faced. Riojas threw 63 of his 90 pitches for strikes, becoming the first Longhorn to toss seven innings or register double-digit punchouts this season. With the victory, the 6-foot, 192-pound hurler helped Texas secure its best start to conference play since 2010.
Freshman of the Week: Tyler Bell, Kentucky
Kentucky’s Tyler Bell tied for the SEC lead in hits last week and helped guide the Wildcats to a series win at Texas A&M. He set a career high with four hits on Saturday and tied his career high with four RBI on Saturday. Bell doubled from both sides of the plate and came up with a two-run single and an eighth inning home run in the win. He had hits in six consecutive official at-bats and recorded multiple hits in all three games at Texas A&M.
(Release via SEC Sports)
Player of the Week: Will Gasparino, Texas
Texas’ Will Gasparino hit five home runs and totaled 13 RBI to lead Texas to a perfect 4-0 week, including a sweep at Missouri. Gasparino posted a .533/.588/1.600 slash line, leaving the yard in three of the four wins. The sophomore mounted two multi-homer performances and three multi-hit games to help the Longhorns secure their best start to conference play since 2010. In the series opener at Missouri, Gasparino socked a pair of three-run blasts and drove in eight runs. Gasparino followed with two solo shots on Saturday.
Co-Pitcher of the Week: Zach Root, Arkansas
Arkansas’ Zach Root twirled a career-long 7.2 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts in Friday night’s series-opening shutout win at top 25 ranked Vanderbilt, helping lead the Razorbacks to their first series sweep in Nashville since 1994. The left-hander, who earned his team-leading fourth win and third quality start of the season, blanked the Commodores over 7.2 innings of work, the longest outing by an SEC pitcher during the week, and carried a no-hitter into the fifth. Root, who became the first Arkansas pitcher to record back-to-back starts of at least seven innings since 2022, combined with Razorbacks relief pitchers Aiden Jimenez and Dylan Carter for Arkansas’ first three-hit shutout since 2024.
Co-Pitcher of the Week: Ruger Riojas, Texas
Texas’ Ruger Riojas pitched a career-long seven shutout innings to guide Texas to a 7-1 sweep-securing win at Missouri. Riojas (6-1) recorded a career-high 10 strikeouts, allowing only two hits and zero walks. The junior faced one batter over the minimum, retiring 16 of the first 17 Tigers he faced. Riojas threw 63 of his 90 pitches for strikes, becoming the first Longhorn to toss seven innings or register double-digit punchouts this season. With the victory, the 6-foot, 192-pound hurler helped Texas secure its best start to conference play since 2010.
Freshman of the Week: Tyler Bell, Kentucky
Kentucky’s Tyler Bell tied for the SEC lead in hits last week and helped guide the Wildcats to a series win at Texas A&M. He set a career high with four hits on Saturday and tied his career high with four RBI on Saturday. Bell doubled from both sides of the plate and came up with a two-run single and an eighth inning home run in the win. He had hits in six consecutive official at-bats and recorded multiple hits in all three games at Texas A&M.
(Release via SEC Sports)
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