RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Great American Conference announced the league’s weekly awards for the eighth week of the 2015 baseball season. Arkansas Tech’s Cole Fergus captured the Player of the Week honor while Southwestern Oklahoma State’s Jon Chidester and Southern Nazarene’s Anthony Wiggins shared the Pitcher of the Week award.
GAC BASEBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Cole Fergus, Arkansas Tech, LF, Sr., Kansas City, Kansas
Fergus helped the Wonder Boys remain hot as they extended their win streak to six and game scoring in double digits to five as he .500 for the week and .545 in Tech’s weekend GAC series with Southeastern Oklahoma State. In game two against the Savage Storm, he collected three hits and needed just a single to complete the cycle. For the week, he drove in six runs.
GAC BASEBALL CO-PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Jon Chidester, Southwestern Oklahoma State, RHP, Jr., Rhome, Texas
Chidester picked up his second Pitcher of the Week award of the season as he defeated No. 26 Arkansas-Fort Smith. He allowed just three hits and two walks while striking out eight in 7.0 innings of work. The eight strikeouts increased his total to a GAC-leading 56. The Bulldogs won the non-conference series, 2-1 against the 13-7 Lions.
GAC BASEBALL CO-PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Anthony Wiggins, Southern Nazarene, LHP, So., Chula Vista, California
Wiggins posted his second straight complete game in Southern Nazarene's 5-3 win against Northwestern Oklahoma State. He threw 13.0 straight scoreless innings until giving up a home run in the top of the seventh inning. His nine strikeouts represented his second-highest single-game total.
NOTABLE PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINEES
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Logan Greenwalt, Fr., INF, Northwestern Oklahoma State (Recorded at least one hit in all seven games last week)
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Bryce McKee, Sr., C, East Central (Hit in grand slam in game one vs Harding; hit .500 over the two-game series vs the Bisons)
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Byron Reichstein, Jr., OF, Southern Arkansas (Hit .400 over four games; hit a game-winning home run vs OBU on Tuesday)
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Zac Stewart, Jr., LF, Harding (Led Bisons to a 4-0 week; hit .429 with four runs scored and six RBI)
NOTABLE PITCHER OF THE WEEK NOMINEES
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Matthew Bickford, Fr., RHP, Northwestern Oklahoma State (Threw 10.0 scoreless innings; struck out four in win vs SNU)
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Andrew Ralston, Jr., RHP, Harding (Limited No. 26 Arkansas-Fort Smith to a run over 6.0 IP; struck out six in the victory)
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Colton Strother, Sr., LHP, Southern Arkansas (Earned win against Henderson State; went 8.2 IP and struck out four)