With Aidan Brewer's pedigree, it was only a matter of time in the 2023 season before the junior shortstop on the Hillsdale College baseball team had an award-worthy week.
Brewer put it together over three games in the past week, earning G-MAC North Division Player of the Week honors for the first time in 2023 and the second time in his career, the conference office announced on Monday afternoon.
Brewer hit .500 (7-14) in three games for the week and 6 of 10 in a doubleheader sweep of Lake Erie on Saturday, adding in a double, a home run, five RBIs, four runs scored and three stolen bases as the Chargers moved back above .500 in the G-MAC and closer to a return to the G-MAC Tournament after failing to earn a berth in 2022.
The junior has been one of the conference's top hitters for multiple seasons now, after earning consensus All-American honors in 2022 as a sophomore with one of the finest offensive seasons by a Hillsdale College baseball player in program history. Brewer got off to a slow start in 2023, but has been rounding into form in conference play, hitting .338 in G-MAC contests with 13 RBIs and six stolen bases.
A move to the leadoff spot seems to have helped ignite Brewer's bat, potentially a huge turning point for a Chargers team that is looking for a strong finish to the 2023 season and will need all the firepower it can get with a tough remaining schedule.
While Hillsdale looks for a great finish, Brewer also has a chance to cement himself further among the all-time best at Hillsdale. The junior ranks in the top 10 in program history in three career categories -- fifth in home runs (25), seventh in RBIs (111) and seventh in stolen bases (44). He also needs just one more hit to crack the top 10 in all-time hits at Hillsdale, and is two doubles away from joining the top 10 in that list as well.
Hillsdale finishes its series with Lake Erie tomorrow, Tuesday, at 1 p.m. with a doubleheader, then plays a single midweek contest at Grand Valley State on Wednesday before returning home to take on Walsh this weekend.
Photo by Isabella Sheehan