South Indy News

NEWS | Wagner, Kleber Sweep HCAC Player of the Week Honors

Franklin College sophomores Eriana Wagner and Stephanni Kleber claimed the first Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) Player of the Week honors of their respective careers, when the league announced its weekly conference honors on Monday (Feb. 27). 

Wagner becomes the first Grizzly to earn HCAC Hitter of the Week since Abby Hickson in 2021 and Kleber is the first Griz hurler since teammate Sydney Pitts a year ago to be chosen as the league's Pitcher of the Week. Monday's selections mark the first time since 2015 that Franklin swept the weekly honor when former program standouts Katie Struewing (hitter) and Olivia Paszek (pitcher) did so. 

Wagner turned in a brilliant opening weekend, batting .556 (5-for-9) with four RBI as Franklin opened the year with a 4-0 record at the Fontbonne Invitational. Wagner had a pair of multi-hit games and her game-tying RBI single in the seventh against Carroll on Sunday sent that game to extras where Franklin was able to come away with a victory. 

Kleber turned in two strong outings in the circle with wins over Monmouth and DePauw. The Seymour, Ind.-native went the distance in both games, going six innings with no earned runs against and eight strikeouts in a 9-1 win against Monmouth and just one earned run allowed in a 4-2 triumph over DePauw the next day. 

Both players will be back in action on Friday (Mar. 3), when Franklin opens the home schedule with a double-header against Olivet. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m. 

Original source can be found here.