INDIANAPOLIS – Four different divisional selections were made for the first week of Great Midwest Athletic Conference Baseball Players of the Week as announced on Tuesday afternoon.
 
Ohio Dominican (North) and Trevecca (South) both claimed pitcher/player honors for their work on the field early in the spring season.
 
North Division Player of the Week
Justin Childers
Ohio Dominican
First Base
Senior
Pickerington, OH (Pickerington North HS)
 
Childers wielded his bat in midseason form against Pikeville as Ohio Dominican swept a season-opening twinbill against the Bears on a neutral field. He had two hits with a homer, scored five times, drove in four and stole three bases in two contests.
 
Childers belted his first home run (estimated 420-foot shot) of the season in his first official at-bat after drawing two walks in his first two plate appearances as the Panthers blitzed the Bears to the tune of an 18-0 shutout.
 
Childers’ three-run shot highlighted a six-run third inning to give ODU an 11-0 advantage. In game two of the doubleheader, he legged out a run-scoring single that put Ohio Dominican on top in an eventual 5-4 final.
 
Like ODU softball standout and Great Midwest Player of the Week Taylor Kline, Childers is already on the radar of national media after earning the title of NCAA DII batting king last spring.
 
Childers was a Second Team Preseason All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Assocation (NCBWA).
 
North Division Pitcher of the Week
Matt Kittelberger
Ohio Dominican
Right-Handed Pitcher
Senior
Massillon, OH (Perry HS)
 
Kittelberger turned in a sterling performance with the opening day start on the mound, hurling five scoreless innings to pick up the winning decision in game one.
 
He struck out five and scattered three hits while walking just one. He induced eight ground ball outs versus just one in the air and faced just three batters over the minimum.
 
Garret Sendelbach and Brad Wilson combined to close out the three-hit shutout as Ohio Dominican did its part in run support with 18 on 16 hits.
 
His intimidating 6-6 frame will be something to monitor this spring against Great Midwest opponents. He carved out a signature win against NCAA qualifier Northwood last year with seven shutout innings.