SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – South Dakota State catcher Ryan McDonald and St. Thomas lefthander Evan Esch garnered the latest TicketSmarter Summit League baseball weekly honors, League officials announced Monday. McDonald helped the Jackrabbits to a series sweep of Omaha to earn Peak Performer of the Week honors, while Esch earned his first career Peak Pitcher of the Week honor following a quality start against North Dakota State.
McDonald went 8-for-16 (.500), homered and had multiple-RBI in all four games he played in, helping the Jackrabbits put together an unbeaten week. He opened the week with a 2-for-5 effort in a rout of Dakota Wesleyan, homering and tripling against the Trojans.
In the three-game sweep of the Mavericks, McDonald went 6-for-11 (.545) with three home runs, a double, five runs and eight RBI. He also walked three times and was hit by a pitch to finish .667 on-base percentage.
In the 8-4 victory in game one, McDonald drove in the first two runs, homering in the third and adding an RBI single in the fifth. In the 9-3 victory in game two, he scored the opening run, then added a two-run homer in the fifth to extend a one-run lead.
In the 12-9 victory in the series finale, the Prior Lake, Minn., native broke a 1-1 tie with a second-inning grand slam to push his League-leading total to 15 in that category.
Esch delivered the best start of his sophomore season in game three of the Tommies’ series with NDSU. The Woodbury, Minn., native helped UST salvage a win in the finale, holding the Bison scoreless through a season-high six innings of work.
Esch fanned a season-high five and scattered two hits in a game UST would win 2-1 in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Baseball Peak Performer of the Week
Ryan McDonald, South Dakota State
Sr. | Catcher | Prior Lake, Minn.
• Went 8-for-16 (.500) and homered and had multiple-RBI in four SDSU victories last week
• In three-game sweep of Omaha, batted .545 with three home runs and eight RBI
• Pushed his League-leading home run total to 15 with a grand slam in the finale vs. the Mavericks
• Collected his second weekly honor of his career and first of the season
Others Nominated for Player of the Week: Cadyn Schwabe (North Dakota State); Justin Quinn (Oral Roberts); Ben Vujovich (St. Thomas).
Baseball Peak Pitcher of the Week
Evan Esch, St. Thomas
So. | LHP | Woodbury, Minn.
• Logged season-highs in innings (6) and strikeouts (5) as Tommies won series finale vs. NDSU
• Held the Bison scoreless and scattered two hits in his longest start of the season
• Earned the first weekly award of his career
Others Nominated for Pitcher of the Week: Cade Feeney (North Dakota State); Jakob Hall (Oral Roberts); Reece Arbogast (South Dakota State).
2023 Baseball Weekly Award Winners
February 20
Peak Performer of the Week: Mac McCroskey, Oral Roberts
Peak Pitcher of the Week: Jakob Hall, Oral Roberts
February 27
Peak Performer of the Week: Nick Mitchell, Western Illinois
Peak Pitcher of the Week: Cade Denton, Oral Roberts
March 6
Peak Performer of the Week: Mike Boeve, Omaha
Peak Pitcher of the Week: Brooks Fowler, Oral Roberts
March 13
Peak Performer of the Week: Nick Mitchell, Western Illinois
Co-Peak Pitcher of the Week: Caleb Riedel, Omaha
Co-Peak Pitcher of the Week: Tristen Roehrich, North Dakota State
March 20
Peak Performer of the Week: Matt Hogan, Oral Roberts
Peak Pitcher of the Week: Jake Goble, South Dakota State
March 27
Peak Performer of the Week: Caden Wagner, Northern Colorado
Peak Pitcher of the Week: Cade Feeney, North Dakota State
April 3
Peak Performer of the Week: Matt Hogan, Oral Roberts
Peak Pitcher of the Week: Preston Tenney, Omaha
April 10
Peak Performer of the Week: MacMcCroskey, Oral Roberts
Co-Peak Pitcher of the Week: Cade Feeney, North Dakota State
Co-Peak Pitcher of the Week: Dylan Smith, Northern Colorado
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