Valparaiso's Mahoney, Wright State's Hoelzel Named Baseball Players of the Week
INDIANAPOLIS -- Valparaiso junior Spencer Mahoney and Wright State senior Joey Hoelzel have been named Horizon League Baseball Players of the Week for the period of Feb. 10-16.
Mahoney picked up Batter of the Week accolades after hitting .583 to lead the Crusaders to a season-opening series win over Samford. The junior from La Grange Park, Ill., reached base safely in 11-of-his-16 at-bats this weekend and never struck out, while also stealing one base. He started the season with 2-for-3 effort with one run scored, one RBI and two walks in Valpo’s 6-5 win over the Bulldogs on Friday afternoon. On Saturday, Mahoney was 3-for-5 with one walk, three runs scored and two runs batted in as he Crusaders clinched the series with an 11-8 win. He completed the series with a 2-for-4 day, scoring one run and driving in another. The 2013 First-Team All-League selection had multiple hits in all three games, as well as scoring at least one run and recording one RBI in every game of the series.
He finished the opening weekend of the season leading the Horizon League in hitting percentage, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
Valparaiso (2-1) returns to Alabama this week to face Jacksonville State in a three-game series set to begin on Friday at 4 p.m. ET.
Hoelzel notched Pitcher of the Week honors after pitching 7.2 innings to pick up the win in Wright State’s 7-1 victory over Michigan State on Sunday. He allowed just four hits, gave up zero walks and struck out three as Spartan batters hit just .143 against him.
Wright State (1-2) travels across the country to California for its next three games. The Raiders play UC-Irvine on Friday before closing the trip in Long Beach with games against Long Beach State and Arizona State.
Other Horizon League top performers (Feb. 10-16):
John Coen, UIC (Sr., 2B) - Coen had a League-best nine hits and reached base safely 11 times in UIC’s season-opening weekend. He also scored a League-high eight runs in the opening weekend and drove in one run.
Kieston Greene, Wright State (Sr., OF) - Greene hit .417, scored two runs and drove in two more for the Raiders last weekend. He was 2-for-4 at the plate in the final two WSU games with a double and run scored in both games.
Sam Koenig, Milwaukee (Sr., 3B) - Koenig was 4-for-6 (.667) with a double, triple two runs scored and two RBIs in three games at CSU-Bakersfield over the weekend.
Karch Kowalczyk, Valparaiso (Sr., RHP) - Kowalczyk recorded saves in back-to-back games for the Crusaders. He struck out two and had zero walks. He also had a home run and three RBIs at the plate over the weekend.
Mitchell Schulewitz, UIC (Fr., RHP) - Schulewitz made three appearances over the weekend for the Flames. He pitched five scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out six while also picking up one save. In his first collegiate appearance, he struck out the only two batters he faced.
