SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? Georgia Southern third baseman A.J. Wirnsberger has been named the Southern Conference Baseball Player of the Week while The Citadel pitcher Matt Crim has been chosen as the league’s Pitcher of the Week for all games from May 11-17.
Wirnsberger recorded four multi-hit games last week to increase his May batting average to .513. He hit a home run in each game of the three-game series sweep of Wofford, taking over the team lead with 13 on the year. Wirnsberger’s four hits in the Wofford series opener on Friday matched a career-high. In addition to his exploits at the plate, the junior from Tuscaloosa, Ala., also played error-free ball at third base.
Crim became the first Bulldog pitcher to throw a complete game shutout in two years as the senior southpaw blanked the nation’s second-best offense with a 7-0 win over the College of Charleston on Saturday afternoon. Crim allowed only six hits over his nine innings of work while striking out three and walking only two batters as he was one of two Bulldog hurlers to throw a complete game against CofC last weekend. Crim held the the powerful Cougar offense to a .188 batting average against him as his win clinched The Citadel’s first series sweep over the Cougars since 2003 and the Bulldogs’ first shutout over Charleston since 1926 (first in the modern era).
The SoCon’s weekly awards are voted on by the league’s baseball sports information directors.
Other hitters earning consideration for the award were The Citadel’s Nick Orvin, Appalachian State’s Wes Hobson, Wofford’s Mac Doyle, Western Carolina’s Brent Greer and UNC Greensboro’s Drew Gehringer.
Other pitchers nominated were Western Carolina’s Mike Tavernier, Georgia Southern’s Chris Mederos, UNC Greensboro’s Matt Parrish and Appalachian State’s Josh Dowdy.
2009 SoCon Baseball Players of the Week
Feb. 23 Joash Brodin, College of Charleston
March 2 Justin Hilt, Elon
March 9 Griffin Benedict, Georgia Southern
March 16 Richard Jones, The Citadel
March 23 Stephen Notaro, Western Carolina
March 30 Mike Melillo, Elon and Cole Rakar, College of Charleston
April 6 Chris McGuiness, The Citadel
April 13 Bennett Davis, Elon
April 20 Pat Irvine, Elon
April 27 Dallas Tarleton, Elon
May 4 Matt Mansilla, College of Charleston
May 11 Joey Bergman, College of Charleston
May 18 A.J. Wirnsberger, Georgia Southern
2009 SoCon Baseball Pitchers of the Week
Feb. 23 Zach Garrett, The Citadel
March 2 Daniel Ottone, Western Carolina
March 9 David Peterson, College of Charleston
March 16 Jesse Simpson, College of Charleston
March 23 Chris Masters, Western Carolina
March 30 Drew Mahaffey, The Citadel
April 6 Jimmy Reyes, Elon
April 13 Corey Martin, Western Carolina
April 20 Chris Mederos, Georgia Southern
April 27 Mike Frongello, Davidson
May 4 Chris Masters, Western Carolina
May 11 David Peterson, College of Charleston
May 18 Matt Crim, The Citadel