This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is junior centerfielder Oliver Van Tiem. Currently, Van Tiem is on a 13-game hitting streak. This season, Van Tiem leads Orange with a .453 batting average. He also leads the team with 29 hits, seven doubles, two triples, four home runs and 18 RBIs. Against South Granville last Friday, Van Tiem went 2-for-3 with a home run as the Panthers defeated the Vikings 6-2 in Hillsborough. On Wednesday, Van Tiem went 4-for-4 with three RBIs in a 11-1 win over Apex Friendship. Van Tiem had two doubles against the Patriots and ended the game with a triple that scored Allen Flores. On Tuesday, Van Tiem had a solo home run in a 14-1 win over Durham School of the Arts at Durham Athletic Park. On April 1, Van Tiem went 3-for-3 with an RBI triple as the Panthers rallied from a 6-2 deficit to defeat the Vikings 10-8 to win the final game of the Hilltop Invitational. On March 31 against Rolesville, Van Tiem went 2-for-3 with a two RBIs in Orange’s 7-0 win. He started the Hilltop Invitational by driving in two runs in a 10-5 victory over Chapel Hill. With Orange trailing Carrboro 4-3 going into the seventh inning on March 27, Van Tiem led off with a solo homer. Orange would go on to win 5-4. Van Tiem has committed to play baseball at the University of North Carolina.
