SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – South Dakota State third basemen Nic Nelson and Northern Colorado righthander Dylan Smith collected the latest TicketSmarter Summit League baseball weekly honors, League officials announced Monday. Nelson garnered the first Peak Performer of the Week accolade of his career, while Smith claimed his second Peak Pitcher of the Week honor of his freshman season.
Nelson went 8-for-12 in a series win over Northern Colorado that secured South Dakota State’s spot in the upcoming Summit League Baseball Championship. The Jacks’ third baseman had two hits in the series-opening loss to the Bears before going 6-for-8 with four home runs and eight RBI in Sunday’s doubleheader sweep.
The Apple Valley, Minn., native opened the scoring with an RBI-single in the first, added a solo home run in the third, then contributed a sacrifice fly to make it a 6-4 contest in the seventh.
In the finale, Nelson went 4-for-5 with a three home runs and a double as his 14 total bases were the most by a Summit League player in a game this season. He doubled in the first, then hit solo shots in the third and fifth innings before belting a three-run homer in the sixth. He pushed his season total to 12 home runs, which is tied for fifth among Summit League players.
Smith logged his second shutout of Summit League play by blanking South Dakota State over nine innings in a 3-0 win in the series opener. The rookie righthander scattered five hits and struck out five Jackrabbits to toss the second nine-inning shutout by a League player this season.
The Bakersfield, Calif., native tossed an eight-inning shutout in a 10-0-win over St. Thomas in early April. He is the only freshman in Division I baseball with a pair of complete games this season.
Baseball Peak Performer of the Week
Nic Nelson, South Dakota State
Sr. | Third Base | Apple Valley, Minn.
• Went 8-for-12 with four home runs, a double and eight RBI in a series win over Northern Colorado
• Registered three multi-hit games against the Bears and added five runs
• In Sunday’s doubleheader, homered four times, including three times in game two to become second Summit League player to achieve that feat this season
• Garnered second consecutive weekly accolade of his career
Others Nominated for Player of the Week: Jonah Cox (Oral Roberts); Druw Sackett (North Dakota State); Adam Juran (Western Illinois).
Baseball Peak Pitcher of the Week
Dylan Smith, Northern Colorado
Fr. | RHP | Bakersfield, Calif.
• Recorded his second shutout of the season in League play
• Scattered five hits and struck out five Jackrabbits in what was just the second nine-inning shutout by a League player this season
• Only Division freshman with a pair of complete games this season
• Earned the second weekly honor of his season
Others Nominated for Pitcher of the Week: Cade Feeney (North Dakota State); Jake Armstrong (Western Illinois); Brooks Fowler (Oral Roberts).
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: Mac McCroskey, Oral Roberts
Co-Peak Pitcher of the Week: Cade Feeney, North Dakota State
Co-Peak Pitcher of the Week: Dylan Smith, Northern Colorado
April 17
Peak Performer of the Week: Ryan McDonald, South Dakota State
Pitcher of the Week: Evan Esch, St. Thomas
April 24
Peak Performer of the Week: Jonah Cox, Oral Roberts
Pitcher of the Week: Jake Goble, South Dakota State
May 1
Co-Peak Performer of the Week: Jake McMurray, Oral Roberts
Co-Peak Performer of the Week: James Dunlap, North Dakota State
Peak Pitcher of the Week: Cade Feeney, North Dakota State
May 8
Peak Performer of the Week: Jake McMurray, Oral Roberts
Peak Pitcher of the Week: Harrison Kreiling, Omaha
May 15
Peak Performer of the Week: Nic Nelson, South Dakota State
Peak Pitcher of the Week: Dylan Smith, Northern Colorado
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