MAC East Division Baseball Player of the Week
Cody Gaertner, Ohio
Catcher, Freshman, Allison Park, Pa. (North Allegany)
Gaertner led the Bobcats to a 3-1 week this past week and a three-game series sweep over Northern Illinois. In four games last week, Gaertner batted .700, going 7-for-10 with one and five RBI. He also scored eight runs to help the Bobcats move over .500 for the first time this season and into second-place tie in the MAC East.
MAC East Division Baseball Pitcher of the Week
Andrew Brown, Akron
Sr. RHP, Painesville, Ohio (Riverside)
Brown was nearly unhittable on Friday, shutting out Bowling Green in a complete game performance at Canal Park. The senior righty allowed just two hits to the Falcons - a club that was batting .305 - with one of the hits being a wind-blown double. Brown struck out six and walked just two. After hitting the first batter of the game, he sat down the next nine in a row. Brown ended the game by retiring nine straight as well. It was the second complete game shutout in his last three starts.
MAC West Division Baseball Player of the Week
Brent Ohrman, Eastern Michigan
Sr., IF/OF, Adrian, Mich. (Adrian)
Ohrman went 2-for-5 Sunday with a run scored to complete a 10-for-15 (.667) weekend at the dish with a slugging percentage of .776. The Adrian, Mich. native scored eight runs over three games and posted three RBI as the Eagles valuted into first place in the MAC west with a sweep of Western Michigan. He went 4-for-5 in each of the first two games to become the first Eagle to have more than three hits in multiple contests this season. Ohrman has now registered a hit in 16 straight games (a career high) and is the first EMU ballplayer to do so this season. He is second on the team in hitting with a .347 batting average and is leading the squad with 14 swiped bags.
MAC West Division Baseball Pitcher of the Week
Ryan Lavoie, Eastern Michigan
Fr., SP, Sterling Heights, Mich. (Stevenson)
Lavoie (3-1) provided the stability the Eagles were looking for on the mound in a 9-5 win Sunday to sweep Western Michigan and take over first place in the West Division. The freshman posted a seven-inning, 11-strikeout performance which easily surpassed his previous career high of five. He limited a potent WMU lineup to four earned runs on nine hits while only issuing one free pass.
Other Nominees
Sam Watkins, Akron
Sr., 3B, Johnstown, Pa. (Conemaugh Twp. - Allegany (Md.)
Watkins was absolutely clutch for Akron this weekend, coming up with two straight game-winning, walk-off hits to lead Akron to a sweep of Bowling Green at Canal Park. In Saturday's 4-3 win Watkins drove in two with a double down the left field line to cap a three run ninth. On Sunday, Watkins lined a one-run single into left field to give Akron a 2-1 win. Both game-winning base knocks came with two outs. Watkins also drove in Akron's first run on Sunday with a Sacrifice fly. Watkins was also outstanding in the field, producing 14 assists at third and committing no errors.
T.J. Weir, Ball State
So., RHP, Kokomo, Ind. (Kokomo)
Sophomore right-hander T.J. Weir turned in his second straight stellar performance on the mound as he led the Cardinals to a Saturday victory over Miami, clinching their first series win of the season … Weir picked up his first victory of the season tossing 6.1 innings of shutout baseball holding the RedHawks off the scoreboard on just seven hits … He struck out seven batters while only walking one on a career-high 116 pitches.
Blake Beemer, Ball State
Jr., OF, Dayton, Ohio (Northmont)
Junior left fielder Blake Beemer led the Cardinals to their first series victory of the season, taking two out of three from Miami … Beemer posted a .600 batting average (6-of-10) in the three-game series with five doubles, four RBI and three runs scored … He posted a 1.767 OPS in the series with a 1.100 slugging percentage and a .667 on-base percentage … He raised his batting average 37 points to .287 on the year, leading the Cardinals … He entered the weekend with just one double before posting a career-high three doubles Saturday in the Cardinals’ victory.
Ethan McKenney, Bowling Green
Sophomore, RHP, Defiance, Ohio (Tinora)
McKenney went 7.2 strong innings on Saturday afternoon, striking out five batters. He only allowed one run in the ballgame, and left with a lead in the bottom of the eighth with two outs
Matt Pollock, Buffalo
Jr,, OF, Sagamore Hills, Ohio (Walsh Jesuit)
Matt Pollock had a solid five-game stretch in the week, recording nine hits and batting .375 over the team's five games. In a doubleheader against St. Bonaventure, Pollock was a combined 5-9 with a home run and two RBI. In the series opener against Kent State on Friday, the junior outfielder had three hits that included a solo home runs to lead off the game.
Cameron Copping, Buffalo
SR, RHP, Temple City, CA (Pasadena CC)
Cameron Copping continues to excel against conference foes, hurling his second straight quality start Friday against Kent State. The senior righthander threw seven innings, allowing two runs while striking out five.
Nick Regnier, Central Michigan
Redshirt freshman, OF, Novi, Mich. (Novi)
Regnier had the best week of his early career as the Chippewas' leadoff hitter, batting .429 (6-for-14) with five walks in CMU's four games versus Michigan and Toledo last weekend. Regnier stepped his game up against the Rockets, batting .455 (5-for-11) with three runs and a stolen base. The outfielder drew three walks in Sunday's game to give himself an on-base percentage of .533 for the weekend. He also played flawlessly in the outfield during the week, sporting a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage. Regnier has reached base safely in 17-straight contests for the Chippewas and all but five of their 32 games this season.
Pat Kaminska, Central Michigan
Junior, RHP, Phoenix, Az./John A. Logan College/Naperville Central HS (Ill.)
Kaminska made the most of his move from the bullpen to the Chippewas' weekend rotation Saturday, shutting down Toledo to earn his second victory of the season and his first as a starter. Kaminska threw 7.1 innings of work, allowing just five hits and three runs — only one earned — while striking out three to help the Maroon and Gold earn a 7-3 victory and clinch the series. He improved his team-best ERA from 2.05 to 1.84 in the start and has now allowed just six earned runs in 29.1 innings pitched this season.\
George Roberts, Kent State
Jr., 1B, Summerhill, Pa. (Forest Hills)
Roberts batted .385 with a team-high five hits, four RBIs and four runs scored to help lead the Golden Flashes (18-13, 9-0 MAC) to a 3-0 Mid-American Conference sweep of East Division foe Buffalo at Olga A. Mural Field at Schoonover Stadium. The Golden Flashes are off to their best start ever in MAC play in program history thanks to their third straight weekend conference series sweep to maintain their grip on first place. Kent State pulled out a 5-4 walk-off thriller Friday (April 6) and followed it up with a 6-3 come-from-behind win next the day over the Bulls and another 6-3 win in the series finale Sunday. The Flashes have won 10 of their last 13 games. Roberts blasted a three-run home run to provide the winning margin in the Saturday victory. He leads the Flashes with 27 RBIs and is tied for the team lead with 15 multi-hit games.
David Starn, Kent State
Sr., LHP, Hudson, Ohio (Walsh Jesuit)
Starn tallied a career-high 12 strikeouts – including fanning nine of the first 16 batters he faced – to surpass the 274 career strikeouts mark set by Dirk Hayhurst (2000-03) to move into first place in the school's record book with 280 strikeouts Friday (April 6) in the Mid-American Conference weekend series opener against Buffalo. Starn departed the contest with a no-decision, but the Golden Flashes (18-13, 9-0 MAC) set the tone for their weekend series sweep of the Bulls by pulling out a dramatic 5-4 walk-off victory at Olga A. Mural Field at Schoonover Stadium. Starn leads Kent State with a 2.26 ERA and a team-high 60 strikeouts against just 16 walks in eight starts in 2012.
Kevin Bower, Miami
Jr., First Baseman, Indianapolis, Ind.
Batted .500 with eight hits in 16 at-bats… hit safely in all four games this week, extending his streak to five games… tied career and season high with four hits on Friday… had a pair of singles on Sunday, giving him 10 multiple-hit games this year… drove in four runs total, including two on Saturday… is tied for the team lead in multiple-RBI games with eight… had a double and walked twice… had one error in 30 fielding chances.
Nathan Williams, Miami
RS Freshman, LHP, San Diego, Calif.
Made three appearances this week, totaling 4.1 innings pitched… did not allow a run and only three hits combined (one each game)… walked one, while striking out 6… threw the final two innings against Ball State Sunday, but did not qualify for the save (a 9-5 win).
Alex Beckmann, Northern Illinois
Sr., OF, Batavia, Ill. (Batavia)
Beckmann was the most-consistent Huskies over the weekend against Ohio as he tallied a hit in each ball game and finished the weekend 5-for-10 at the plate (.500), two RBI, two runs, three walks and a sacrifice fly. In Saturday's 3-1 pitching dual, Beckmann reached base three times with an RBI single in the fifth and walked in the seventh and ninth innings. He sported an on-base percentage of .571 on the weekend as well. In left field, with the winds swirling for most of the weekend that made routine balls not so routine, Beckmann recorded eight putouts.
Jake Hermsen, Northern Illinois
Sr., LHP, New London, Wis. (New London)
Hermsen was the embodiment of a work horse Saturday afternoon as he hurled 138 pitches for the Huskies, with seven strikeouts, and finished the game as strong as he started it in the 3-1 loss. Getting himself in a couple of jams, the most impressive was his last stand in the seventh inning. With no one in the bullpen warming up, his pitch count well over 120 and the bases loaded, Hermsen caught batter Dan Schmidt looking at a called strike three and fanned Kyle Dean on the ensuing at-bat to end his day. Most impressively, the New London, Wis. native snapped a streak of 22.2 innings without surrendering a walk in the first inning against the Bobcats, last doing so March 17 against Southern Illinois.
Jason Moulton, Ohio
Pitcher, Senior, Toledo, Ohio (Roy C. Start)
Senior pitcher Jason Moulton picked up his second straight win of the season on Saturday after he worked 4.2 innings, allowing just three hits and one earned run. Moulton also showed great control as he only walked two batters.
Ryan McMillin, Western Michigan
Sr., 3B, LaGrange, Ill. (Lyons Twp.)
McMillin extended his current hitting streak to 22 games, recording a hit in all five games this week, batting .429 (9-for-21) ... McMillin also has an on-base streak stretching 27 games, as he has reached safely in every game but the season-opener at Arizona State ... four of McMillin's nine knocks were for extra bases, as he hit three doubles and a home run, also driving in eight runs.