Northern Kentucky University’s Cole Bauml has been named the Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Week for his performance during the first weekend of the 2015 season, the league office announced on Monday.
Bauml finished the weekend with a .545 batting average and collected four doubles and one triple over NKU’s first three games. He also scored two times and drove in three runs for the Norse, who are 1-2 on the young season. Bauml recorded a .615 on-base percentage and a 1.091 slugging percentage to start his final year with NKU and successfully stole two bases in as many attempts.
“Cole Bauml had a terrific weekend for us, and he is very deserving of this award,” NKU head coach Todd Asalon said. “He gave us quality at-bats against Campbell and took advantage of the opportunities he was presented with. It is a well-deserved honor for Cole, and it is a great recognition for our program as well. We look forward to seeing what this season has for him.”
The senior outfielder from Muenster, Saskatchewan, picked up where he left off in 2014, extending his hitting streak to 13 games after recording hits in each of NKU’s last 10 contests last season. In his second plate appearance in the series opener at Campbell, he sent a triple into right center to bring home Caleb Lonkard, who reached base on a leadoff double, to tie the game at 1-all.
Bauml went 1-for-3 in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, and he made his hit count. He tied the game in the third inning for the second-consecutive game after following a Kyle Colletta single with a double to right center. He also collected his first stolen base of the season in Game 1.
In the nightcap, Bauml led the Norse with a 3-for-4 effort from the plate with two runs scored, one RBI and one stolen base. He collected three doubles and drew an intentional walk against the Camels. He came home on a Cody Kuzniczci two-bagger after hitting a one-out double to spark a three-run first inning, and his second double of the game brought home Colletta for a 5-0 lead. Bauml later took advantage of a throwing error as he stole second to score and put the Norse ahead 6-2 in the top of the sixth.
Bauml, who received second-team All-Atlantic Sun honors for his performance last season, becomes the first Norse baseball player to receive the conference weekly honor. He is also the first player to receive weekly recognition since Brett Loeding was named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week on April 2, 2012.
NKU heads to the west coast next weekend for a four-game series against CSU Bakersfield. A doubleheader will open the series on Friday at 5 p.m. Eastern with single games scheduled for Saturday (3:30 p.m.) and Sunday (3 p.m.). Links to live stats and John Asalon’s audio broadcast will be available at NKUNorse.com.
From NKU Athletics