Western Kentucky junior Justin Carlin has been named the Conference USA Hitter of the Week, the league announced Monday.

The recognition marks the third time this season a Hilltopper has been tabbed C-USA Hitter of the Week, as Jackson Gray and Ray Zuberer III have also received the honor this year.

Carlin produced a .500/.550/1.125 slash line in the Hilltoppers’ four-game sweep of Marshall over the weekend. Carlin racked up an impressive three home runs and 12 RBI in the series while adding five runs, three walks, two steals and one double.

The junior had a career day at the plate in game three of the series while adding his name to the program record books, blasting three long balls and tallying eight RBI while going 4-for-5 in WKU’s 15-5 victory in the backend of its Saturday doubleheader. Heading into the seventh and final frame with the game tied at 5-5, the Hilltoppers broke out for 10 runs while Carlin hit two homers in the inning, including a grand slam.

Carlin was just the second Hilltopper since at least 2005 (as far back as WKU game-by-game records go) to rack up three home runs and eight RBI in a single game. The last player to accomplish the feat was Jake Sanford, who is Conference USA’s only triple crown winner in league history, when he went 3-for-6 with three homers and eight RBI in a 12-9 win over Eastern Kentucky on March 26, 2019.

In 24 conference games, Carlin currently leads the league with a .416 batting average against C-USA foes, while also ranking second with a .766 slugging percentage.

Carlin and the Hilltoppers will be back home to host Florida Atlantic for a four-game series this weekend, with Senior Day set for Sunday.{&end}