GLIAC -- The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) has announced weekly baseball awards following week eight of the 2018 campaign. Ashland senior outfielder Connor Barleben earned GLIAC Baseball Player of the Week honors, while Purdue Northwest junior pitcher Kyle Flessner captured Pitcher of the Week accolades after a record-setting performance.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK - Connor Barleben, Ashland
Ashland senior outfielder Connor Barleben led the Eagles in all offensive categories last week as they won all six games - two over West Liberty and a four-game sweep of Saginaw Valley State. Barleben hit .600 (12-for-20) with three home runs, 13 RBI, nine runs and two doubles. Barleben also stole a base and walked three times for a .667 on-base percentage. He struck out just once in 20 at-bats. Barleben hit three homers in the first four innings of a 24-10 win over WLU on Thursday, scoring four runs in the game and driving in seven. He also racked up nine hits and six RBI in AU's four-game sweep of the Cardinals. Barleben is batting .405 on the season and ranks second in the GLIAC with eight home runs. He also leads the GLIAC in slugging percentage (.798).
PITCHER OF THE WEEK - Kyle Flessner, Purdue Northwest
Purdue Northwest junior pitcher Kyle Flessner set a program record Saturday striking out 16 batters in a 5-0 win in game one of a doubleheader with Wayne State at Dowling Park in Hammond, Ind. Flessner earned his first victory over the season (1-2) with the impressive outing, which ended as a one-hit shutout. After striking out 11 of the first 12 batters he faced, Flessner cruised through the first six innings of the Saturday's opener and did not give up a hit until two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. He also issued one walk in the sixth inning.
HONORABLE MENTION
PLAYER: Colin McClelland (NU), Alex Batistatos (PNW), Alex Huard (DU), Patrick Adams (WSU), Dean Marais (SVSU), Austin LaDoux (GVSU)
PITCHER: Travis Keys (GVSU), Jared Tobey (WSU), Lennon Gwizdala (NU), Grant Wolfram (DU), Brian Feinauer (SVSU), Zach Whitehead (AU)
