Oakland's Enslen and Valparaiso's Foreman Named Baseball Players of the Week
INDIANAPOLIS -- Oakland junior Robby Enslen has been named the Horizon League Batter of the Week, while Valparaiso freshman Ellis Foreman is the Pitcher of the Week for the period of May 5-11.
Enslen batted .500 in Oakland’s weekend series against Milwaukee as the Golden Grizzlies took two of three games versus the Panthers for their first Horizon League series win.
The junior from Middleville, Mich., started the week with his second home run of the season in Oakland’s midweek loss at Michigan.
In the first game of the doubleheader on Saturday, Enslen went 1-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored as Oakland won, 8-1. In the second game, UWM and Oakland were tied at four with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning when Enslen launched a home run to send the Golden Grizzlies to a victory. In the series finale on Sunday, Enslen went 4-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored.
For the week, Enslen hit .412 (7-of-17) and slugged .882 with two home runs, two doubles and six runs scored. He led Oakland with seven hits and five RBIs.
Foreman pitched a gem on Sunday afternoon at Wright State, but was awarded a no decision after pitching nine innings and giving up zero runs. He retired 14 consecutive Raiders from the end of the third until halfway through the eighth. The freshman from Round Rock, Texas, struck out a career-high 11 batters and walked just one. The right-hander surrendered six hits - all singles - and didn’t allow a Raider to advance past second base. The 11 strikeouts were the most by a Crusader pitcher since April 12th, 2011 when Jon Gulbransen punched out 13 Chicago State Cougars. Foreman racked up 22 first-pitch strikes in 31 batters faced.
Other Horizon League top performers (May 5-11):
Jack Andersen, UIC (So., RHP) - Andersen picked up the win for UIC on Sunday to clinch the No. 2 seed for the Flames in the Horizon League tournament. He went 6.1 innings, allowing one earned run and three hits, while striking out two.
Tyler Detmer, UIC (Jr., OF) - Detmer hit .429 (6-of-14) for the Flames last week as they clinched the No. 2 seed in the Horizon League tournament. He finished the week with four runs scored and four driven in.
Andrew Elliott, Wright State (Jr., RHP) - Elliott struck out three to pick up the save against Valparaiso on Saturday. He struck out three more Crusaders on Sunday for the win as WSU won the series with a 1-0 victory.
Brent Gillespie, Youngstown State (Jr., 1B) – Gillespie had hits in all three games as YSU won two of three against UIC. He was 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs in Friday’s 9-8 victory over the Flames. He led off the bottom of the ninth with a double and his pinch-runner scored game winning run.
Jason Hager, Oakland (Sr., LHP) - Hager allowed just one run on four hits in a complete game win over Milwaukee on Saturday. He had a shutout through 8.2 innings and allowed just five base runners in the game. He struck out six Panther batters and walked one.
Chris Manning, Valparaiso (Sr., RF) - Manning hit .643 (9-of-14) for the Crusaders last week. He became the all-time leader in runs scored in Valpo history (162) and moved into second place in Valpo history for most career hits (253) and stolen bases (58).
Andrew McCafferty, Wright State (Jr., 1B) - McCafferty was .375 (6-of-16) at the plate for the Raiders last week. He went 2-for-3 with an RBI and stolen base in the win over Dayton. He went 3-for-4 with a triple and run scored in the series opener against Valpo.
Ryan Solberg, Milwaukee (Sr., OF) - Solberg hit .435 (10-of-23) last week for the Panthers. He drove in eight runs, higlighted by a 4-RBI game Sunday when he was a double short of hitting for the cycle. He went 6-for-6 in steals in the series against Oakland and is now 24-for-24 on steals this season.
Kevin Yarabinec, Youngstown State (Fr., RHP) – Yarabinec earned a win and a save as YSU took two of three games from UIC last weekend. He picked up the win on Friday after UIC tied the score with an unearned run in the top of the ninth. He earned the save on Saturday (4th of the season) after striking out two while pitching a scoreless ninth inning.
Horizon League Batter of the Week:
Feb. 17: Spencer Mahoney, Valparaiso (Jr., SS)
Feb. 24: Robby Enslen, Oakland (Jr., OF)
Mar. 3: Alex Jurich, UIC (Sr., C)
Mar. 10: Sean Murphy, Wright State (Fr., C)
Mar. 17: Kieston Greene, Wright State (Sr., OF)
Mar. 24: Tyler Detmer, UIC (Jr., OF)
Mar. 31: Ryan Solberg, Milwaukee (Sr., OF)
Apr. 7: Alex Lee, UIC (Jr., INF)
Apr. 14: Mark Johnson, Valparaiso (Jr., OF)
Apr. 21: Jeff Limbaugh, Wright State (Sr., LF)
Apr. 28: Kieston Greene, Wright State (Sr., OF)
May 5: Sean Murphy, Wright State (Fr., C)
May 12: Robby Enslen, Oakland (Jr., OF)
Horizon League Pitcher of the Week:
Feb. 17: Joey Hoelzel, Wright State (Sr., RHP)
Feb. 24: Travis Hissong, Wright State (Jr., RHP)
Mar. 3: Jake Paulson, Oakland (Jr., RHP)
Mar. 10: Dalton Lundeen, Valparaiso (So., LHP)
Mar. 17: Joey Hoelzel, Wright State (Sr., RHP)
Mar. 24: Robby Sexton, Wright State (So., LHP)
Mar. 31: Jack Andersen, UIC (So., RHP)
Apr. 7: Dalton Lundeen, Valparaiso (So., LHP)
Apr. 14: Dalton Lundeen, Valparaiso (So., LHP)
Apr. 21: Cody Peterson, Milwaukee (Jr., RHP)/Cole Webb, Valparaiso (Sr., RHP)
Apr. 28: Andrew Elliott, Wright State (Jr., RHP)
May 5: Tim Koons, Oakland (Sr., RHP)
May 12: Ellis Foreman, Valparaiso (Fr., RHP)
