SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – A pair of freshmen racked up the latest Kwik Star Summit League Baseball weekly honors, as North Dakota State outfielder Dante Smith earned the peak performer nod, while Oral Roberts righthander Easton Teel secured the peak pitching award, League officials announced Monday.

Smith registered multiple hits in each game of a NDSU’s three-game set at Northern Colorado, leading the Bison to their second straight Summit-road series win. He went 2-for-5 with a run scored in the series-opening 8-7 win, then posted a career-high four hits in the series-clincher – an 11-8 triumph.
 
Smith’s RBI-single in the seventh sparked a four-run rally that saw NDSU regain the lead for good at 7-6. The Ajax, Ontario native has hit safely in all six Summit games this season and owns a .464 batting average in those contests (13-for-28).
 
Teel was impressive in his first collegiate start, leading Oral Roberts to a 10-1 victory over Omaha in the series opener. The Chocktaw, Okla., native allowed just one earned run over a career-best seven innings of work. He also fanned a career-high eight after coming out of the bullpen in his first seven career appearances.

After giving up a run in the first, Teel held the Mavericks scoreless over his final six frames and struck out the final two batters he faced in the seventh inning.
 
KWIK STAR PEAK PERFORMER OF THE WEEK
Dante Smith, North Dakota State
Fr. | OF | Ajax, Ontraio
• Claimed his first career weekly honor
• Went 8-for-14 (.571), picking up multiple hits in all three games of a road series win at Northern Colorado
• Opened the series with back-to-back, 2-for-5 efforts at the plate
• Registered a career-high four hits in the series finale and also stole two bases in the 11-8 win

Others nominated: Tony Castonguay (Northern Colorado); Tanner Recchio (St. Thomas); Martell Davis (Oral Roberts).

KWIK STAR PEAK PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Easton Teel, Oral Roberts
Fr. | RHP | Chocktaw, Okla.
• Claimed the first weekly honor of his career
• Earned the win and struck out a career-high eight in series-opener vs. Omaha
• Allowed only one earned run and scattered four hits during first collegiate start
• Struck out the final two batters he faced in the seventh inning

Others nominated: Jake Storey (Northern Colorado); Danny Lachenmayer (North Dakota State); Caleb Duerr (South Dakota State); Marcus Kruzan (St. Thomas).

2025 Kwik Star Baseball Weekly Awards
February 17
Performer: Jake King, Northern Colorado
Pitcher: Nathan Love, Oral Roberts

February 24
Performer: Jake King, Northern Colorado
Pitcher: Luke Gainer, Omaha

March 3
Performer: Joe Roden, St. Thomas
Pitcher: Reece Arbogast, South Dakota State
Pitcher: Zak Endres, St. Thomas

March 10
Performer: Max Moris, St. Thomas
Pitcher: Murphy Gienger, Northern Colorado

March 17
Performer: Ben Vujuvich, St. Thomas
Pitcher: Logan Knight, North Dakota State

March 24
Performer: Dante Smith, North Dakota State
Pitcher: Easton Teel, Oral Roberts

About Kwik Star
Kwik Star is a family-owned company that serves customers in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, Michigan, and Illinois with more than 900 convenient, clean retail convenience stores and also produces more than 80% of the products featured in the stores supplied by its own commissary, bakery, dairy and distribution center located in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Today, the company has more than 38,000 coworkers. Kwik Star shares 40% of its pretax profits with coworkers and is consistently ranked as a Top Workplace. Learn more at Kwiktrip.com.

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