Kolb, Kulavic Named CCIW Baseball Players of the Week

Kolb	Kulavic

NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- Wheaton’s Brian Kolb and Illinois Wesleyan’s Brent Kulavic were named College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Baseball Players of the Week Tuesday after their performances during the previous week of competition.

Kolb, a sophomore shortstop from Carlsbad, Calif., and Santa Fe Christian, led Wheaton to a 3-1 record last week, including three CCIW wins, clinching the Thunder’s first-ever berth to the upcoming CCIW Baseball Tournament. Kolb hit .667 for the week with 14 hits in his 21 at-bats as he drove in 11 runs and scored seven times. He hit two home runs, with three doubles and stole four bases. During Wheaton’s three-game sweep of North Park last weekend (May 2-3), Kolb passed the CCIW record for hits in a season as he has collected 51 in conference play this year. The previous record was 43 by Carthage’s Kevin Sullivan (2000) and Elmhurst’s Brad Groth (2004). Kolb opened the three-game series with North Park, hitting three-for-five, with a home run, three RBI and a stolen base. In the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, Kolb went six-for-seven, with six RBI, four runs scored and two stolen bases. He closed out the series going two-for-four, with a home run.

Kulavic, a sophomore pitcher from Springfield, Ill., and Pleasant Plains High School, struck out eight batters and allowed only two hits and one unearned run in a 2-1 win at Carthage on May 1. The win gave Illinois Wesleyan a one-game lead over the Red Men en route to winning two-of-three games during a weekend series, which earned the Titans the CCIW regular season title.

2008 CCIW Baseball Players of the Week

Hitter of the Week
Brian Kolb - Wheaton (5/6/08)
Brian Kolb - Wheaton (4/29/08)
Ricky Angel - Illinois Wesleyan (4/22/08)
Jason Acevado - Carthage (4/15/08)
Jason Acevado - Carthage (4/8/08)
Kraig Ladd - Illinois Wesleyan (4/1/08)
Mike Cunningham - Illinois Wesleyan (3/25/08)
Brady Josephson - North Park (3/18/08)
Aaron Hopson - Augustana (3/11/08)

Pitcher of the Week
Brent Kulavic - Illinois Wesleyan (5/6/08)
Mike Kloss - North Central (4/29/08)
Joe Kentos - Millikin (4/22/08)
Josh Weaver - Wheaton (4/15/08)
Brent Kulavic - Illinois Wesleyan (4/8/08)
Matt Aronson - Illinois Wesleyan (4/1/08)
Trace Ruffie - Carthage (3/25/08)
Josh Weaver - Wheaton (3/18/08)
Brandon Engle - Augustana (3/11/08)