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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The Appalachian League has named Pulaski’s Brayden Ricketts and Burlington’s Ryan Hench as Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for the week of June 23–29.

Ricketts, 19, earned Player of the Week honors after batting .368 with three home runs and eight RBIs over five games for the River Turtles. He went 7-for-19 with two doubles, seven runs scored and led all league hitters in home runs and slugging percentage (.947). He also ranked second in OPS (1.402) and total bases (18), tied for second in runs and tied for third in RBIs.

The Brampton, Ontario, native played a key role in Pulaski’s June 25 win over Bluefield, going 3-for-5 with a home run, double, three RBIs and two runs scored. He followed that with a 2-for-4 performance against Burlington on June 27, hitting two home runs and driving in four runs.

Ricketts is hitting .371 with four home runs, 24 RBIs and a 1.085 OPS over 19 games this summer. He is tied for the league lead in RBIs. After redshirting this past spring, he will return to Indiana following the summer season.

Hench, 20, earned Pitcher of the Week honors after a dominant five-inning outing against Danville on June 24. The Sock Puppets right-hander did not allow a hit or a run and struck out a season-high seven batters. He retired the first 12 hitters he faced, and the only baserunner allowed — on a hit-by-pitch in the fifth — was erased on a double play.

Hench tied for the league lead last week in ERA (0.00), WHIP (0.00) and batting average against (.000).

The Hillsborough, N.C., native has appeared in four games (three starts) for Burlington this season. He is 2-0 with a 2.40 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 15 innings. Hench, who is currently in the transfer portal, returned to the Appy League after redshirting at North Carolina, where he appeared in one game for the Tar Heels this spring.