GLIAC Sweeps NCBWA Baseball Athlete of the Week Honors

Posted: May 14, 2016

DALLAS – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) released its NCAA Division II National Players of the Week awards for the week ending on May 11 and the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) swept both awards. Lake Erie senior first baseman Cale Giddings is the National Hitter of the Week, while Findlay sophomore pitcher Colin Gossard is the National Pitcher of the Week.

Lake Erie senior Cale Giddings (Pickerington, Ohio) recorded six home runs, 17 runs batted in on 16 hits and 12 runs scored to the tune of a .667 batting average on the week going 16-for-24 as the Storm went 4-2 to close out the year. During the week, Giddings record one five-hit game, one five-RBI contest and two games where he homered twice.

Findlay sophomore Colin Gossard (Lima, Ohio) has been named the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) North Pitcher of the Week in the final week of the regular season. The Lima, Ohio native earned the award following his start in the Oilers last game of the year, a 5-3 win over Ashland. In that contest, Gossard threw eight innings and allowed only one run on two hits and two walks. He struck out a career-high 12 batters and did not allow a runner past second base until the eighth inning. Gossard finishes the year second in the GLIAC with a 3.15 ERA.

Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters and publicists of the sport. Members receive a membership card, directory, newsletter updates and official votes in the Howser Award Player of the Year, Regional Player of the Year and NCBWA All-America voting. The NCBWA also sponsors preseason All-America awards, publication and writing contests.

2016 NCBWA Division II Players of the Week:

- Feb. 17: Brett Wilhelm, Lubbock Christian (Hitter); Brooks Trujillo, West Texas A&M (Pitcher)

- Feb. 25: Andrew Vogelbaugh, Pittsburg State (Hitter); Guillaume Blanchette, Lubbock Christian (Pitcher)

- Mar. 3: Blaise Warrick, Arkansas-Fort Smith (Hitter); Ben Criscuolo, Southern New Hampshire (Pitcher)

- Mar. 10: Matt Piatt, University of Tampa (Hitter);Mark Delas, Findlay (Pitcher)

- Mar. 17: Troy Sieber, St. Leo University (Hitter); Robbie Gordon, Maryville (Pitcher)

- Mar. 24: Dylan Cook, Georgia College (Hitter); Logan Johnson, Fairmont State (Pitcher)

- Mar. 31: Chance Bowden, Catawba (Hitter); Greg Stagani, West Liberty (Pitcher)

- Apr. 7: Zach Hoffmann, St. Cloud State (Hitter); Placido Torres, Tusculum (Pitcher)

- Apr. 14: Reese Gregory, St. Cloud State (Hitter); Tanner Herdt, Colorado Mesa (Pitcher)

- Apr. 21: J.P. Sorma, Ashland (Hitter); Mason Mayberry, Findlay (Pitcher)

- Apr. 28: Alex Wojciechowski, Minnesota-Duluth (Hitter); Matt Kelley, Francis Marion (Pitcher)