KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced its first Baseball Hitter and Pitcher of the Week award winners for the 2024 season.
MIAA Hitter of the Week – Josh Holmes, Pittsburg State
Josh Holmes owns a MIAA-leading .583 batting average following opening weekend across the league. Holmes collected six runs scored, a home run, five RBI and four stolen bases while helping the Gorillas post a 3-1 record in the UCO First Pitch Classic Feb. 1-4 in Edmond, Oklahoma. Holmes’s week was highlighted by a 2-for-3 performance with a home run and two RBI in Pitt State’s 11-2 win over New Mexico Highlands. He also went 2-for-4 with two RBI and two stolen bases in the Gorillas 14-5 win over East Central.
MIAA Pitcher of the Week – Cole Gayman, Missouri Southern
Cole Gayman was credited with the Lions win over No. 17-ranked Southern Arkansas. In 6.0 scoreless inning, Gayman gave up just one hit and struck out seven batters of the 23 he faced.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Hitters
Josh Patrick – Central Missouri
Josh Patrick hit .417 with five hits, four runs, three home runs, four RBI, a 1.167 slugging percentage and two stolen bases in Central Missouri’s three games in the Houston Winter Invitational. Patrick homered in all three games, which included a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning of the Mules 5-4 win over No. 9-ranked Southern New Hampshire.
Payton McHarg – Washburn
Payton McHarg hit .533 over the weekend with eight hits – four extra base hits – six RBI and a 1.489 OPS. In the Ichabods 8-3 win against Barry, McHarg went 3-5 with five RBI and scored two runs.
Carson Carpenter – Central Oklahoma
Carson Carpenter led Central Oklahoma to a 4-0 start to the season hitting .571 in four games, with four hits in seven at bats. Carpenter hit a double and a triple with five RBI and six runs scored on the week. He also drew eight walks total and stole three bases. Carpenter’s slash line for opening weekend was .571/1.000/.750.
Pitchers
Brett Pense – Central Oklahoma
Brett Pense made his collegiate debut in the Bronchos season opener and shined, recording a no-hitter into the fifth inning. Pense threw 5.0 innings, allowing one hit and no runs while striking out six in his debut with only issued one walk.
Cade Barton – Emporia State
Cade Barton faced the minimum through his first 4.2 innings of the Hornets 17-1 season opening win over East Central at the Edmond First Pitch Classic. Barton did not allow a run in the first six innings.
Ty Riley – Fort Hays State
Ty Riley tossed 4.2 innings of scoreless relief in a pair of appearances during opening weekend, recording one win and one save. Riley allowed three hits in 16 at bats, good for an opposing batting average of .188, while also striking out five batters and walking none. He then picked up a three-inning save in game one of the series against Adams State before retiring all five batters he faced to earn the win in extra innings in game four.
ALSO NOMINATED
Hitters: Kaehukai Young (Northwest Missouri), Jose Cintron (Fort Hays State), Drew Townsend (Missouri Southern), TJ Racherbaumer (Emporia State), Blake Anderson (Missouri Western)
Pitters: Cason Long (Pittsburg State), Sam Kratz (Missouri Western), Andrew Prieve (Newman), Grant Zwald (Washburn)
2024 MIAA BASEBALL HITTERS OF THE WEEK
WEEK ONE: Josh Holmes – Pittsburg State
2024 MIAA BASEBALL PITCHERS OF THE WEEK
WEEK ONE: Cole Gayman – Missouri Southern