IRVINE, Calif. --- Junior Taylor Sparks batted .600 and posted a 1.000 slugging percentage to win this week's Big West Player of the Week award.

Sparks was 6 for 10 at the plate with two doubles, a triple, two walks and five RBI, pacing UCI to a 3-0 week with wins over USC and Gonzaga.

With the Anteaters trailing USC, 3-0, Sparks' run-scoring sacrifice in the fourth inning proved to be the game-winner in an eventual 6-4 win.

The third baseman added two hits in the 1-0 win over Gonzaga Saturday and put the team on the board Sunday with a run-scoring double in the first. Then with the score knotted at 1-1 in the third, Sparks drew a walk and plated the insurance run. He was 3 for 4 with two doubles and a triple and increased his batting average to .340.

Sparks tops the team with 18 hits and is tied for first with 11 runs batted in. He shares the team lead in doubles and triples with three apiece.

The award is the first for UCI this season and second for Sparks.

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