Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina junior outfielder Justice Bigbie was today named the first Southern Conference Baseball Player of the Week for his performance in the Catamounts' season-opening four-game sweep of the Towson Tigers, the league office announced today.
 
The honor is the first weekly award from the SoCon in Bigbie's career and the first for WCU since collecting consecutive player of the week honors in the 2019 season by Daylan Nanny (March 4) and Immanuel Wilder (March 11). Mercer RHP Taylor Lobus earned SoCon Pitcher of the Week honors.
 
The league's weekly award winners are selected by the SoCon office from nominations submitted by sports information or media relations personnel at each conference school.
 
Bigbie led the Catamount offense with a .538 batting average (7-of-13) over the weekend with four of his seven hits going for extra bases including three home runs. The Chesapeake, Va., native added a double in amassing a 1.308 slugging percentage while also adding four walks and a pair of HBPs to boast a .650 on-base percentage for the weekend.
 
Selected as the 2019 SoCon Baseball Player of the Year, Bigbie opened the 2021 season with a 4-for-5 performance last Friday, legging out a double and hitting a home run while driving in five runs and scoring four in the convincing 23-1 victory. He continued the torrid start with three hits in Saturday's doubleheader, homering twice in game one, plating three more runs. Though he was hitless in the series finale, the preseason first-team All-SoCon selection drove in two runs including WCU's first marker and what proved to be the eventual game-winning run on a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning of the series finale.
 
Bigbie is currently tied with seven others for the national home run lead with three through the first weekend of the regular season while his 10 RBI currently lead the nation.
 
Western Carolina (4-0) continues its season-opening five-game homestand on Tuesday, Feb. 23 as it hosts mountain-rival UNC Asheville at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium. The game marks the first of the season for the Bulldogs who were idle on college baseball's opening weekend. The first pitch on Tuesday is scheduled for 4:00 pm and is slated to be streamed on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live stats available online at CatamountSports.com.
 
Pursuant to the current state of North Carolina Executive Orders for outdoor venue attendance and practicing physical distancing, a limited number of seats will be available for spectators at home baseball games this spring with priority currently given to the parents of competing student-athletes. There will be no single-game ticket sales for home games. These policies are subject to change.