Matthew Crownover and Rhett Wiseman Sweep Carolina League Weekly Awards for 8/20-8/26

Woodbridge, VA---On Monday afternoon, the Carolina League announced that Potomac Nationals LHP Matthew Crownover  and RF Rhett Wiseman  swept the Carolina League weekly awards for the week of 8/20-8/26. Crownover threw a no-hitter for Potomac on Saturday night, while Wiseman posted an OPS of 1.429 over the week for the P-Nats.

Crownover is the first Potomac pitcher to take home the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week award in 2018. On Saturday night, August 25th against the Lynchburg Hillcats, the left-handed starter threw the first no-hitter in Potomac Nationals history. Crownover allowed just four baserunners, three via a walk and one HBP. The lefty struck out three over his 110-pitch complete game effort. It was just the second complete game of the season for Potomac, and Crownover's longest outing as a professional.
The 25-year-old Crownover is in his third season with Potomac. The former Clemson Tigers pitcher made 17 starts for the P-Nats in 2016, 10 appearances and six starts before a promotion to Double-A Harrisburg in 2017, while his no-hitter on Saturday was his 23rd appearance and 20th start with Potomac in 2018. So far this season, the left-handed starter is 5-8 with a 4.46 ERA. Crownover has struck out 77 over 113.0 innings. In his last seven appearances, Washington's sixth round pick in the 2015 MLB Draft is 2-0 with a 1.45 ERA and an opponent's batting average of just .205.
Wiseman is the fourth Potomac hitter to take home the Carolina League Player of the Week in 2018. Over his past six games, all against the Northern Division-leading Lynchburg Hillcats, Wiseman went 10-19 with three doubles, a triple, and four RBIs. The Potomac outfielder slashed .526/.640/.789 over his award-winning week.
In his second full season with Potomac, the 24-year-old Wiseman ranks third in the Carolina League in home runs (21) and slugging percentage (.497) through his first 110 games of 2018. Wiseman leads the P-Nats in extra-base hits (47) and walks (61), as well as outfield assists (9). From 2017 to 2018 with Potomac, Washington's third round pick in the 2015 MLB Draft has increased his batting average (30 points), on-base percentage (81 points), and slugging percentage (106) points.
This is the first weekly award as a professional for Crownover. It is the second weekly award as a professional for Wiseman, who took home New York-Penn League Player of the Week honors with the Auburn Doubledays for the week of 7/13/15-7/19/15.
The P-Nats open up their final regular season homestand of the season on Monday night, as the Frederick Keys (Baltimore) come to town. First pitch at Northwest Federal Field is set for 7:05pm.
The Potomac Nationals of the Carolina League play at Northwest Federal Field at Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge, Virginia, and are the Carolina League affiliate of the Washington Nationals. The Potomac Nationals have claimed five Carolina League Championship titles (1982, 1989, 2008, 2010, and 2014) and nine CL Northern Division Championships. Sponsorship opportunities for the P-Nats' 2018 season and beyond are available, as well as all-inclusive corporate picnic outings to watch the future stars of the Washington Nationals at The Pfitz. 2018 Potomac Nationals season tickets and mini plans are now on sale. For more information on Potomac Nationals 2018 season tickets, mini plans, group outings, picnic packages, fundraisers, and all things Red, White, and Blue, visit the P-Nats online at www.potomacnationals.com, follow the P-Nats on Facebook (@PotomacNationals), Twitter (@PNats42), and Instagram (@pnats42), or call the Potomac Nationals' Extreme Custom Collision Ticket Office at 703-590-2311.
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