INDIANAPOLIS – Kentucky Wesleyan claimed both South Division accolades for Great Midwest Athletic Conference Baseball Players of the Week awards distributed on Monday.
 
All six teams from the South Division have officially celebrated opening day this spring. Ohio Valley won twice vs. California (PA) while Davis & Elkins and Trevecca each recorded one win during last week’s competition.
 
Trevecca earned a 2-1 win against No. 23 North Georgia, one weekend after splitting with Montevallo. D&E earned its first win against Tusculum while OVU swept the Vulcans, highlighted by an extra-innings win in game one on Sunday.
 
South Division Player of the Week
Cody Bridges
Kentucky Wesleyan
Center Field
Junior
Elizabethtown, KY (Elizabethtown HS)
 
Bridges really made a name for himself as Kentucky Wesleyan made its 2017 G-MAC Championship run with dazzling speed in the outfield and spraying line drives at Prasco Park for extra bases.
 
The rising junior was on patrol again for the Panthers in a three-game series against UIndy with a 7-for-15 line at the plate. He doubled in each contest and had at least two hits in each game against the Greyhounds.
 
Bridges also made a gold-glove caliber grab out in center field, sprinting in to snare a sinking line drive during Sunday’s doubleheader action.
 
KWC enjoyed a game one victory in the series walk-off style as Andrew Kirkland went yard to give the Panthers a 5-4 win.
 
Bridges is now a .332 career hitter, moving into the top 20 all-time in conference history for those players with at least 250 at-bats. He also ranks top 20 in hits and RBI and is already fifth in career triples with nine.
 
South Division Pitcher of the Week
Chris Johnson
Kentucky Wesleyan
Right-Handed Pitcher
Junior
La Vergne, TN (Columbia State CC)
 
Johnson shut down UIndy to give Kentucky Wesleyan a chance to bring home the win in extras with a dominant outing from the pen.
 
KWC head coach Todd Lillpop turned the ball over to Johnson after starter Ryan Hundley turned in five innings of his own for a no-decision.
 
Johnson faced just one batter over the minimum in five scoreless frames and struck out six while walking none. He retired nine straight from the eighth inning to finish.