Austintown, Ohio – May 10, 2010 – Junior third baseman Willie Brechun (Canton, Ohio / Canton Central Catholic) of the Heidelberg University baseball team has been named the Ohio Athletic Conference Baseball Hitter of the Week for the week of May 10, 2010. It is Brechun’s first hitter of the week honor of his career.
Brechun is the second ’Berg hitter to earn OAC honors this season , joining Ricardo Lizcano’s (Toledo, Ohio / Roy C. Start) honor from April 5. Overall Heidelberg has earned five weekly honors. Joining its hitting honors was pitcher of the week honoreesEthan Holt (Galion, Ohio / West Holmes) (May 3), Andy Lowe (Fort Wayne, Ind. / Carroll) (March 22) and Sylvester Nino (Willard, Ohio / Willard) (March 9).
Last week Heidelberg produced a 4-0 record large in part to the offensive output by Brechun. In four games he hit .650 with 13 hits in 20 at bats, while knocking in 10 runs and scoring five of his own. He had two doubles as well.
In a doubleheader sweep of Capital University on Wednesday, Brechun opened up the day with a 4-for-5 outing with five RBI and a run scored in a 13-2 Heidelberg victory. In the nightcap he registered a 5-for-6 outing at the plate with an RBI, a run scored and a double in a 14-9 win. His double marked the 23rd on the year, which set a new OAC single-season record. His OAC record breaking double came one week after moving atop the Heidelberg single-season record book in the same category.
On Friday, the Berg swept host Mount Union College, 9-4 and 11-4. In game one, Brechun went 2-for-4 with two runs batted in and a run scored and returned in game two and went 2-for-5 with two RBI, two runs scored and a double.
Not only did Heidelberg finish the week at 4-0, but the Berg added its fourth straight, fifth overall, OAC Regular Season Title to its resume. No. 4 ranked Heidelberg is set to host the 2010 OAC Baseball Tournament May 13-15 at Peaceful Valley. The winner of the four-team double elimination tournament earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Regionals. For the year, Heidelberg stands at 34-6, which marks the most wins in the regular season at the Berg.