Zags Sweep WCC Baseball Weekly Awards
5/23/2022 12:12:00 PM | Baseball
Kempner, Johnson named Pitcher, Player of the Week
SPOKANE, Wash. — After clinching the WCC regular season title and the No. 1 seed in the WCC Baseball Tournament, Gonzaga swept the final West Coast Conference weekly awards on Monday, with Dylan Johnson and William Kempner nabbing Player and Pitcher of the Week Awards after playing key roles in the Zags' series win against San Diego over the weekend.
The sweep is the first time this season that GU players have won both awards in the same week and second week in a row with a Bulldog as Player of the Week after Tyler Rando took the award last week. It's Kempner's second time getting Pitcher of the Week honors after getting his first in 2021.
The Bulldogs (34-15, 20-7 WCC) clinched their second straight WCC Regular Season title and fifth in the last six seasons with a win in their opener against San Diego on Friday, going on to win the series finale on Saturday and finish the season with a program-best 20 wins in conference play. They'll have the No. 1 seed in this week's WCC Tournament at Banner Island Ballpark in Stockton, Calif.
#WCCSPORTS PLAYER OF THE WEEK – DYLAN JOHNSON, JR., OF – GON
Johnson batted .625 with an on-base percentage of .750 in the three-game series against San Diego while leading the Bulldogs in hits (5) as they clinched the WCC regular season title and their ninth WCC series win this season. He got on base multiple times in each of GU's games against the Toreros, drawing a team-high three walks as well as getting hit by a pitch that churned out the winning run for GU in Friday's opener. Johnson becomes the second Zag to win Player of the Week honors this season, and the second in as many weeks (Tyler Rando, May 16).
Also Nominated: Ryan Sepede, BYU; Connor Bradshaw, Pepperdine; Jake Holcroft, Portland; Caleb Ricketts, San Diego; Nick Yovetich, San Francisco; Brett Zimmerman, LMU
#WCCSPORTS PITCHER OF THE WEEK – WILLIAM KEMPNER, SO. – GON
Kempner held the potent San Diego offense to one hit over five innings during Saturday's regular-season finale to get the win and clinch the Bulldogs' ninth WCC series win this season. He struck out eight and walked two in that span, bringing his season ERA down to 0.98 over 27.2 innings pitched - which currently stands as the third-lowest in a single season in program history. Kempner is the third Bulldog to win WCC Pitcher of the Week accolades this season, and it is the fifth time that Gonzaga has won the award this year.
Also Nominated: Trevor Hinkel, Pepperdine; Ryan Kysar, San Diego; Ryan Brady, BYU
2022 #WCCSPORTS Baseball Player of the Week
February 21: Greg Mehlhaff, Pepperdine
February 28: Cole Gambill, BYU
March 7: Nathan Chong, Saint Mary's
March 14: Kevin Sim, San Diego
March 21: Chase Meidroth, San Diego
March 28: Caleb Ricketts, San Diego
April 4: Coleman Brigman, Santa Clara
April 11: Ozzie Pratt, BYU
April 18: Mason Strong, BYU
April 25: Diego Baqueiro, LMU
May 2: Chase Meidroth, San Diego
May 9: Austin Deming, BYU
May 16: Tyler Rando, Gonzaga
May 23: Dylan Johnson, Gonzaga
2022 #WCCSPORTS Baseball Pitcher of the Week
February 21: Janzen Keisel, BYU
February 28: Brett Gillis, Portland
March 7: Gabriel Hughes, Gonzaga
March 14: Trystan Vrieling, Gonzaga
March 21: Gabriel Hughes, Gonzaga
March 28: Cole Kitchen, Santa Clara
April 4: Nick Sando, Santa Clara
April 11: Brian Robison, BYU
April 18: Brycen Mautz, San Diego
April 25: Gabriel Hughes, Gonzaga
May 2: Jimmy Galicia, LMU
May 9: Brett Gillis, Portland
May 16: Shane Telfer, Pepperdine
May 23: William Kempner, Gonzaga
