CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The Appalachian League announced that Burlington's Ryan McCrystal (East Carolina) and Greeneville's Roan Tarbert (East Georgia State) were named the Player and Pitcher of the Week of August 1-6, respectively.
McCrystal hit .550 with one home run and eight RBI in five games for the Burlington Sock Puppets last week. McCrystal finished 11-for-20 with three doubles, eight runs scored, two walks and one stolen base. He posted a .591 OBP, a .850 SLG and a 1.441 OPS. McCrystal led the Appalachian League last week in AVG, SLG and OPS; He was tied for first in hits and OBP. He also finished tied for second in doubles, tied for third in total bases (17) and tied for fifth in RBI and runs scored. McCrystal had at least one hit, RBI and run scored in all five games played. He started the week with back-to-back three-hit games against Princeton, and he doubled twice and drove in five runs against the WhistlePigs. McCrystal had two hits and an RBI in both games against Kingsport, then finished the season 1-for-3 with an RBI and two walks in Bluefield on Saturday.
Overall, McCrystal hit .397 with four home runs and 48 RBI in 37 games. McCrystal led the Appy League in RBI, SLG (.654) and OPS (1.120) this season. He finished the summer on a 13-game hit streak. The 19-year-old catcher from Fuquay-Varina, N.C., just finished his freshman season at East Carolina University. McCrystal appeared in 20 games (four starts) for the Pirates in the spring, when he hit one home run and had five RBI.
Tarbert started one game for the Greeneville Flyboys last week. On Wednesday against Bluefield, Tarbert tossed 4.0 perfect innings with eight strikeouts and he retired all 12 hitters he faced. Tarbert started the game by striking out the first two batters. He struck out the final two he faced in the second and struck out the side in the third. His eighth strikeout came with one out in the fourth inning. The game was suspended in the top of the fifth and completed on Thursday, with Tarbert and Tyler Blankenship (Yuba College) combining to throw a seven-inning perfect game.
Overall, Tarbert finished the season 1-2 with a 6.86 ERA and a .225 batting average against in 10 appearances (six starts). He struck out 25 over 21.0 innings pitched. The 19-year-old right-hander from Tallahassee, Fla. just finished his freshman season at East Georgia State College. Tarbert appeared in 18 games and went 1-3 with 23 strikeouts in 13.2 innings pitched in the spring.
