[2023 MIAA Baseball Athletes of the Week: Week 1]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced its second Baseball Athletes of the Week for the 2023 season.
 
MIAA Hitter of the Week – Nixon Brannan – Pittsburg State  
Nixon Brannon hit .412 with a double, three home runs and 12 RBI to help lead Pittsburg State to a 3-1 record in a four-game series against Regis (Colo.). The San Angelo, Texas native belted a pair of three-run home runs to stake the Gorillas to an early lead in a game the visiting Rangers rallied to win 14-11 last Saturday. He went 2-for-5 with a homer and three RBI in the Gorillas 16-3 win in the series finale on Sunday. Brannon also went 2-for-4 with three RBI in the Gorillas 6-4 win over the Rangers on Saturday.
 
MIAA Pitcher of the Week – Casey Steward – Washburn  
Casey Steward turned in a dominant start performance against Barry last Thursday as he carried a no-hitter through 4 2/3 innings and struck out a career-high 12 batters. In 5 2/3 innings, the junior right handed pitcher allowed just one unearned run on two hits and two walks.
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Hitters
Kaleb Glass – Central Oklahoma
Kaleb Glass led Central Oklahoma to a 4-1 record this week, playing all five games in four days. The junior outfielder hit .500 for the week with a team-high nine hits in 18 at bats. Glass also drew three walks and was hit by a pitch once to earn a .591 on-base percentage. He slugged .611 for the week, had one triple and four RBI, and he scored eight runs. Glass was also a perfect 8-for-8 on stolen bases in five games.
 
Prescott Horn – Rogers State
Prescot Horn powered the Hillcats to a 3-0 sweep of Rockhurst over the weekend hitting .412 (7-for-17) in the series with seven RBI, three runs and only striking out twice. The senior drove in the game winning runs in both the first and second games of the series. In the first game of the doubleheader on Saturday, Horn drove in the first three runs in a six-run fourth inning to tie the game 6-6 with a double to left center. He then scored the game winning run in the sixth with a RBI single to left. Horn also scored the tying run in the 4-2 win over No. 2-ranked Southern Arkansas.
 
Zane Knox – Fort Hays State
Zane Knox collected a team-high nine hits in a four-game series against New Mexico Highlands over the weekend. Four of those base knocks went for extra bases, including two doubles, one triple and one home run. The third baseman accumulated 16 total bases, five runs and five RBI while producing a slash line of .643/.688/1.143.
 
Pitchers
Rece Parker – Rogers State
Rece Parker was outstanding on the mound in the Hillcats 11-1 run-rule series finale over Rockhurst this past Saturday. The sophomore earned his second win of the season working 6.0 innings allowing only one run on two hits with nine strikeouts.
 
ALSO NOMINATED
Hitters: Brenden Andersen (Missouri Western), Vance Tobol (Central Missouri), Trey Adams (Washburn), DeClaudio Irvin (Northeastern State), Nate Mieszkowski (Missouri Southern)
 
Pitters: Brock Toney (Central Missouri), Zac Shoemaker (Pittsburg State), Nate Pitts (Fort Hays State), Kyle Moore (Missouri Southern), Jeb Jenkins (Central Oklahoma), Lee Callison (Northeastern State)