Wilkins Named Final CL "Player of the Week"
Published on September 7, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release
WINSTON-SALEM, NC (SEPTEMBER 7, 2011) - Winston-Salem Dash first baseman Andy Wilkins has been named the Carolina League "Player of the Week" for the week of August 29 - September 5. Wilkins, named a Carolina League All-Star last week, won the weekly honor for the second time in the 2011 season.
Over the final week of the regular season, Wilkins hit .391 (9 for 23) with five doubles, two home runs, five runs batted in, and seven runs scored. Both of the Oklahoman's home runs were hit in the late innings and propelled the Dash to victories. In game one of last Friday's doubleheader with Salem, he hit a two-run home run off Jeremiah Bayer in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the game at six. Two batters later, Nick Ciolli hit a two-run walk-off homer to win it for Winston-Salem. On Sunday, Wilkins hit a solo shot in the eighth inning at Lynchburg to snap a tie game and give the Dash a 5-4 win.
Wilkins was a mid-season and postseason Carolina League All-Star in 2011. In 134 games, he hit .278 with 23 home runs and 89 runs batted in. He finished tenth in the league in average, second in homers, second in RBI, second in games, third in at bats (493), fifth in hits (137), third in doubles, (33), fourth in slugging percentage (.485), third in extra-base hits (56), third in total bases (239), and third in best HR/AB ratio (1/21.43). His performance got better as the season progressed, hitting .317 with a .938 OPS in the second half versus .239 and .730 before the All-Star break.
This marks the second time Wilkins has been honored as the league's top hitter in a given week. He also won the award for the week of May 23 - 31. Dash players won six "Player/Pitcher of the Week" awards this year and in four of the final five weeks of the season. In addition to Wilkins, Matt Wickswat, Ian Gac, Tyler Saladino, and Joe Serafin have all been recognized for superior performances in the Carolina League in 2011.
The Winston-Salem Dash are the Class-A Advanced minor league affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. To purchase tickets and for more information, please call 336-714-2287 or visit www.wsdash.com .
Carolina League Stories from September 7, 2011
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