2022 MIAA Baseball Athletes of the Week: Week 1, Week 2

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The MIAA announced its third Baseball Athletes of the Week, presented by Mammoth Turf, for the 2022 season. Northeastern State’s Brock Reller was named the Hitter of the Week and Northwest Missouri’s Max Spitzmiller was selected as the Pitcher of the Week.  
 
MIAA Hitter of the Week – Brock Reller – Northeastern State
Brock Reller hit for the cycle and blasted a game-tying grand slam to highlight an astronomical week by the fifth-year transfer. In five games played, Reller had 13 RBI, three homers, five triples, and 12 runs scored. In the RiverHawks 15-0 shutout over McKendree, Reller cleared the bases for a double in his final at-bat for the cycle and had seven RBI, the most since 2015 for an NSU batter. The next day, down 6-2, Reller blasted a no-doubt homer to left-center field on a full count to tie the game. The RiverHawks would come from behind to win 10-6. Eight of Reller’s RBI came with two outs, and he batted 6-for-8 with two outs on the scoreboard. He also drew five walks, with one being intentional for a .600 on-base percentage, Reller for the week slugged 1.579. This is Reller's second Hitter of the Week honor this season. 
 
MIAA Pitcher of the Week – Max Spitzmiller – Northwest Missouri
Spitzmiller tied a career-high with 11 strikeouts in Northwest's 11-1 win over Truman State. Spitzmiller worked seven innings and gave up six hits (all singles). He allowed just one run and three walks.
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Hitters
Jesse Holguin – Rogers State
Jesse Holguin powered the Hillcats to a 4-0 series sweep of Colorado Christian over the weekend. Holguin finished 7-for-14 to hit .500 in the series with six RBI, two doubles, a triple, a stolen base and only struck out once in his 14 at bats.
 
Matt Miller – Missouri Southern
Matt Miller helped the Lions to a 3-0 record with a win over Quincy and two over Truman. On the week, Miller hit .417 with two home runs, five RBI, two doubles and four runs scored, while collecting 13 total bases and slugging 1.083 and carting a .462 on base percentage. Miller had a home run, a double three RBIs and a run scored in the opener against Quincy. Against Truman in the doubleheader, Miller had another home run, a double, two RBI and three runs scored.
 
Donovan Warren – Northwest Missouri
Donovan Warren went 6-for-11 at the plate with three runs and four RBI in a pair of non-conference games. The senior went 2-for-6 with three RBI in a win over Truman State, then notched his first four-hit game of his collegiate career by going 4-for-5 against Illinois-Springfield. Warren’s four-hit game included a triple. He has reached base in all nine games he has played this season.
 
Pitchers
Jonathan Smithey – Northeastern State
Jonathan Smithey needed just 65 pitches to go six innings of shutout ball against McKendree, striking out five batters and allowing just three hits. Only one batter would reach scoring position in the winning effort by the senior.
 
Jordan Ewig – Rogers State
Jordan Ewig was nearly untouchable in the first game of the series against Colorado Christian as he earned the complete game shutout, going 7.0 innings with four strikeouts and only allowing three hits. He currently holds a 1.76 ERA through three appearances 15.1 innings this season.
 
ALSO NOMINATED
Hitters: Parker Dunn – Washburn, Ed Scott – Fort Hays State
Pitters: Zach Berg – Fort Hays State, Cale McCallister – Missouri Southern, Casey Steward – Washburn