SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Western Carolina outfielder Bryson Bowman and VMI right-hander Josh Winder have been named the Southern Conference player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for all games from March 27 to April 2. The selections are made by the league office.
WCU’s Bowman hit .538 and posted a .632 on-base percentage last week as the Catamounts went 3-1 with a sweep of The Citadel. The redshirt senior from Baton, North Carolina, posted multiple hits in three of the four games, scoring five runs and driving in six. He also drew two walks, was hit by pitches three times and was 2-for-2 in stolen base attempts.
In a 5-3 loss to mountain rival UNC Asheville on Wednesday, Bowman was 2-for-3 with a walk, a HBP and two runs scored. In Friday’s 4-3 win over The Citadel, he was 2-for-4 with the walk-off sacrifice fly. Bowman was 1-for-3 with a homer and four RBIs in Saturday’s 6-0 win, also reaching base twice via HBP. He wrapped up the series with another two-hit game Sunday, driving in a run and scoring twice in a 14-1, seven-inning win.
Bowman has reached base in all 27 Western Carolina contests this year, a career-best streak. He is also riding a career-best 12-game hitting streak in which he has raised his season average 57 points to .353.
The weekly award is the second Bowman’s career.
Western Carolina (12-15, 4-2 SoCon) kicks off a five-game road swing Wednesday at Kennesaw State before heading to Johnson City, Tennessee, for a three-game weekend set at ETSU (13-12, 2-4). The Catamounts wrap their road trip at Presbyterian on April 11.
Also nominated: Taylor Cothran (The Citadel), Caleb Longley (ETSU), Ryan Hagan (Mercer), Cesar Trejo (UNCG), T.J. Dixon (Samford), Jacob Jaye (VMI) and Reed Massey (Wofford).
VMI’s Winder was masterful in three-hit, 4-0 shutout of Samford on Friday in a week in which two other SoCon pitchers – ETSU’s Ryan Simpler and Wofford’s Austin Higginbotham – also threw complete-game shutouts.
The Keydets’ sophomore from Richmond, Virginia, tossed his third straight complete game as VMI earned its first shutout against a league opponent since 2013. Winder reached double figures in strikeouts for the fourth time this season, fanning 12 batters against just one walk. He allowed a second-inning single, a fifth-inning double and an eighth-inning single before walking the leadoff batter in the ninth.
Winder, who had multiple strikeouts in five of his nine innings pitched, improved to 4-2 on the season and lowered his ERA to 2.60. He has struck out 68 batters and walked just six this season in 55 1/3 innings pitched.
The weekly SoCon award is the second of Winder’s career. He was also named one of Collegiate Baseball’s National Players of the Week for his efforts.
VMI (13-15, 2-4 SoCon) host Longwood and Old Dominion for midweek games before hitting the road for a three-game league series at Wofford (15-14, 2-1) this weekend.
Also nominated: JP Sears (The Citadel), Ryan Simpler (ETSU), Robert Broom (Mercer), Matt Frisbee (UNCG), Jesse McCord (Samford), Brendan Nail (Western Carolina) and Austin Higginbotham (Wofford).
2017 SoCon Players of the Week
Feb. 20 Chris Cook, ETSU
Feb. 27 Charlie Madden, Mercer
March 6 Will Malbon, VMI
March 13 Austin Embler, UNCG
March 20 JT Thomas, Mercer
March 27 Charlie Madden, Mercer
April 3 Bryson Bowman, Western Carolina
2017 SoCon Pitchers of the Week
Feb. 20 Matt Frisbee, UNCG
Feb. 27 JP Sears, The Citadel
March 6 Adam Scott, Wofford
March 13 Bryan Sammons, Western Carolina
March 20 Blake Smith, ETSU
March 27 JP Sears, The Citadel
April 3 Josh Winder, VMI
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