Sports
Oak Forest's Kopale Named Horizon League Baseball Player of the Week
Oak Forest native and St. Rita graduate Justin Kopale is off to a hot start in his junior season at Wright State. He was named the Horizon League baseball Player of the Week for his performance in the Virginia Tournament.
Wright State junior shortstop Justin Kopale is swinging a bat that's hotter than the unseasonably warm weather.
Kopale, an Oak Forest native and graduate of St. Rita High School, was named the College Sports Madness Horizon League Baseball Player of the Week for his performance at the Virginia tournament in Charlottesville.
Kopale started tourney play slowly. He had one hit in an 11-4 loss to Seton Hall. Then, he came on like gangbusters. He hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs in a 5-4 victory over then-No. 14 ranked Virginia.
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And he capped a big weekend with another home run in a 10-8 victory over Seton Hall on Sunday, March 4. He drove in two runs and scored twice.
Kopale and Wright State (4-6) return to action at 5 p.m. Friday with a game gainst Southeast Missouri at Nischwitz Stadium. The game is the first of a three-game weekend set.
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In 2011, Kopale earned first-team All-Horizon League honors after hitting .321 in 52 games.
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