The Will call on the Greensboro Grasshoppers’ Justin Bass

from Will Cornelius Hoppers’ media:

BASS REELS IN SOUTH ATLANTIC LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS

GREENSBORO, NC – Greensboro outfielder Justin Bass was named the South Atlantic League’s Player of the Week after an impressive offensive display this past week.

Bass began his tear during the second week of May, getting a quick boost from a four-game hit streak that began on a Grasshopper’s road trip. Bass’s success in mid-May has translated nicely into the last week of the month, where he hit at a .583 clip while blasting five home runs.

“I think early on he was really pressing to try and make things happen rather than just going out and swinging,” said Manager Darin Everson. “What has happened lately is now he feels confident that he can play at this level, and we just hope it continues throughout the season.”

Bass does not appear to have lost any confidence however, carrying his May success into June. Bass has three hits through his first two contests and continues to see his average climb. With his impressive stretch, Bass has hit his way into the top-five in five offensive categories, including home runs, batting average, RBIs, slugging percentage, and OPS.

The speedy outfielder’s incredible consistency quickly landed him in a tie for the team’s top spots in batting average and home runs, matching the Grasshoppers veteran Ben Lasater in both categories. His sizzling performance thus far surpasses his season totals from a year ago without having reached the mid-way point of the 2009 campaign.

Bass is the first Grasshopper to receive the Player of the Week award since top prospects Matt Dominguez and Mike Stanton shared the title for the final week of the 2008 season.

The Grasshoppers have welcomed over 1,715,000 fans to NewBridge Bank Park, drawing over 400,000 fans in each of its first four years at the new downtown ballpark. The team is the proud recipient of both the South Atlantic League’s Club Merit Award and the General Manager of the Year Award for the past four years.

Tickets and group packages are still on sale for the 2009 season. For more information, please contact the Grasshoppers office at 336.268.BALL or visit www.gsohoppers.com.

Will Cornelius
Media Relations, Intern