[2023 MIAA Baseball Athletes of the Week: Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced its Baseball Athletes of the Week for fifth week of competition in the 2023 season.
 
MIAA Hitter of the Week – Nixon Brannan – Pittsburg State   
Nixon Brannan hit .667 (8-for-12) for the week with seven runs scored, three home runs and nine RBI to help lead Pittsburg State to a three-game MIAA series sweep of Missouri Western. The San Angelo, Texas native went 2-for-3 with three runs scored, a home run and five RBI in the Gorillas 14-2 win over the Griff’s on March 4. He also went 4-for-4 with three runs scored, two home runs and three RBI in Pitt State’s 15-1 victory Monday (Mar. 6).
 
MIAA Pitcher of the Week – Ian Lanik – Emporia State   
Ian Lanik did not give up a run in 6.0 innings of the Hornets 13-0 run rule win over Fort Hays State. The sophomore set the tone by retiring the Tigers in order in the top of the first and was then worked his way out of a bases loaded one out jam in the second without allowing a run.
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Hitters
John Prudhom – Central Missouri
John Prudhom helped the Mules to a 3-1 week, including a 2-1 MIAA series win at Northeastern State. The redshirt senior went 6-of-14 with five runs scored, nine RBI, four homers and one double in four games. He posted a blistering 1.357 slugging percentage to go along with a .400 on-base percentage. In this past Monday’s 13-6 series-clinching win against the RiverHawks, Prudhom hit two homers, including a two-run shot and three-run bomb, while driving in six runs. He also homered twice in UCM’s 11-10 loss to the RiverHawks last Sunday.
 
Cale Savage - Washburn
Cale Savage led the Ichabod offense last week batting .529 with a .941 slugging percentage. He went 9-for-17 at the plate combined in four games with two home runs, a double, five runs scored, and 10 RBI. In the 3-2 win over Newman, Savage was 2-4 with a home run and RBI double. In the 6-5 series finale win over Newman, he was 3-4 with a two-run homer and finished with four RBI.
 
Kadyn Williams – Emporia State
Kadyn Williams hit .444 with two home runs and 12 RBI as the Hornets went 2-2 last week. The sophomore opened the week going 3-for-6 with four RBI in the Hornets 16-13 midweek loss at Oklahoma Baptist. He hit a grand slam in the ninth to pull the Hornets within three runs. Williams was 3-fo-4 with two RBI in Emporia State’s 13-0 series opening win over Fort Hays State. He walked once in the Hornets 4-3 loss to the Tigers in the middle game of the series. He was 2-for-4 with six RBI including the game ending three run home run in the Hornets 15-4 run rule win over the Tigers in the series finale.
 
Pitchers
Ben Des Rosiers – Pittsburg State
Ben Des Rosiers limited Missouri Western to just one hit and one earned run over 6.0 innings of work to help lead Pittsburg State to a 15-1 victory over the Griffons in the series finale this past Monday. The Castle Rock, Colo., native registered five strikeouts and held Missouri Western’s hitters to a .050 batting average while improving to 2-0 on the mound this season.
 
JD McReynolds – Central Missouri
JD McReyholds earned the win on the mound in the Mules 13-6, series-clinching win at Northeastern State. The sophomore threw three hitless and scoreless innings in relief with zero walks and six strikeouts.  
 
ALSO NOMINATED
Hitters: Isaiah Ural (Fort Hays State), Will Doherty (Missouri Southern)  
 
Pitters: Daniel Bebee (Fort Hays State), Chase Torkelson (Washburn)