Senior standout on fire
Jason Sibson
Issue date: 4/11/08 Section: Sports
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Through the first 29 games of his senior season, Chris Weimer has a sparkling .414 batting average. His 11 home runs and 36 RBIs are towering numbers that no other player in the North Central Conference is threatening to touch.
Weimer's .901 slugging percentage is second in the nation, and his 1.41 runs per game and .38 home runs per game averages are also top five national numbers.
As if his offensive prowess isn't striking enough, Weimer has 51 putouts with just two errors this season as the leader of the UNO outfield.
"He can run, hit and field," said UNO Head Coach Bob Herold. "There's no if's, and's or but's - he's a draftable player."
Herold likened the senior season Weimer is having to that of former UNO great, Chad Leon, whose .374 average, 13 home runs and 44 RBIs in 2006 led the Mavs to a 45-14 record.
Leon's senior year was memorable, but Weimer is on a pace this season that the UNO baseball program has yet to witness.
"He's having a monster, monster year," Herold said.
Although this may be the season that propels him into definite draft status, Weimer is no spring chicken.
His 18 home runs from the clean-up spot a year ago set a single-season school record.
But make no mistake; Weimer has taken his game to a whole new level in 2008.
"He's a lot better hitter this year," Herold said. "He's a lot tougher out with two strikes, he stays inside himself, he hits the ball the other way, he's learned his strike zone a little bit better and he's more disciplined."
It's an overall improvement that Herold said comes from hard work and determination.
"He wasn't satisfied with having a great year last year. He wanted to have an even better one," Herold said. "He's that kind of individual."
Weimer is batting second in the order this season and is sandwiched between a gang of all-conference talent. UNO upper-classmen Bryan Frew, Mat Eikmeier, Josh Shirk, Evan Porter and Dustin Koca are all batting well over .300 as mainstays in the heart of, arguably, the North Central Region's most powerful lineup.
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