KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced new Athletes of the Week from the 13th week of the 2026 baseball season. Missouri Western swept this week’s honors with Seth Winkler named the MIAA Hitter of the Week and Cam Saleh named the MIAA Pitcher of the Week.
MIAA HITTER OF THE WEEK: Seth Winkler, Missouri Western
Seth Winkler put together a strong four-game week for MoWest, hitting .526 (10-for-19) with an MIAA-leading eight runs scored, five RBI, three home runs and a 1.053 slugging percentage. The Griffons opened the week with a 12-11 loss to Northwest Missouri last Tuesday (Apr. 21), where Winkler went 2-for-5 with a home run and an RBI. In the first game the MIAA series at Arkansas-Fort Smith on Saturday (Apr. 25), the junior second baseman turned in one of his best performances of the week, going 4-for-5 with three runs scored, a double, a home run and an RBI in a 4-2 win. In game two against the Lions, he added one hit, a walk and an RBI in another 12-11 loss. Winkler closed the weekend with another big outing, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored, two RBI and a home run in a series-clinching 16-4 win on Sunday (Apr. 26). Overall, Winkler reached base at a .550 clip, totaled three multi-hit games, and powered the offense with three long balls across the four-game stretch. He is only the second Griffon to earn the MIAA Hitter of the Week honor this season (Miguel Cantu, Week Nine).
MIAA PITCHER OF THE WEEK: Cam Saleh, Missouri Western
Griffon baseball rode a no-hitter performance on the mound as Cam Saleh led MoWest to a 4-2 win over Arkansas-Fort Smith on Saturday (Apr. 25) in game one of the MIAA doubleheader. The redshirt junior tossed all nine innings without allowing a hit, striking out seven while working around five walks and a hit-by-pitch. Despite traffic on the bases, Saleh maintained control throughout and did not surrender an earned run, with both runs against him coming unearned. He finished the outing with 125 pitches, consistently stepping up in key moments to escape jams and preserve the no-hit effort.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
MIAA HITTERS
Noah Steele, Emporia State
Noah Steele went 7-for-15 last week and reached base in 13 of 21 plate appearances as the Hornets finished 2-2 on the week. In the 25-15 mid-week win against Fort Hays State, Steele hit two home runs and totaled five RBI while also reaching base in 5-of-6 plate appearances. In the MIAA series against the Ichabods over the weekend, Steele reached base multiple times in all three matchups, including a 3-for-5 game with a triple and an RBI in the series finale.
Blake Jones, Missouri Southern
Blake Jones led the Lions at the plate last week, hitting .500 (1.188 slugging, .600 on-base percentage) with five runs, eight hits, two doubles, three homers and seven RBI. He notched multiple hits in each of the Lions’ three games in Kirksville, Missouri. Jones also had a home run in each of those three games. The sophomore first basemen went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a homer in the opener with Saginaw Valley. He then went 2-for-3 with two RBI, a homer, two walks and a stolen base in Saturday’s meeting with Saginaw Valley. Jones wrapped the weekend going 3-for-4 with three runs, three RBI, two doubles, a walk, an HBP, and a homer in a 12-6 win at Truman.
Sam Wornson, Northwest Missouri
Sam Wornson batted .417 with a .750 slugging percentage in helping Northwest to a perfect 4-0 week in MIAA play. Wornson is in the midst of a seven-game hitting streak. The junior outfielder scored seven runs and drove in eight with a stolen base in the four games. He went 1-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI in a 12-11 mid-week win over Missouri Western before going 1-for-2 with an RBI in an 11-10, 13-inning marathon win at Newman to begin the MIAA series. Wornson went 1-for-3 with three runs scored, two RBI and a homer in a 6-2 Saturday win against the Jets. He closed the series by going 2-for-3 with three runs scored, three RBI and a double in a 17-11 victory over Newman.
Nathan Gutierrez, Rogers State
Nathan Gutierrez led the Hillcats at the plate last week in MIAA matchups against Arkansas-Fort Smith and No. 9-ranked Pittsburg State. The senior outfielder slashed .563/.563/1.063 with nine hits, six runs and three RBI. He also tallied four extra-base hits with two doubles and two home runs on the week.
MIAA PITCHERS
Zach Voss, Pittsburg State
Zach Voss limited No. 6-ranked Rogers State to just three hits over 6.1 innings of work in No. 9 Pittsburg State's 13-1 run-rule win over the Hillcats on Saturday (Apr. 25). The Iberia, Mo., native allowed just one run against league-leading Rogers State. He issued four walks and registered two strikeouts while earning his ninth win of the season.
Cody Bruss, Fort Hays State
Cody Bruss tossed 6.1 scoreless innings of relief in Fort Hays State’s game one against Northeastern State last Thursday. The senior leftie struck out nine batters and allowed only three hits and three walks. He retired eight in a row at one point and faced the minimum four times.
Maclane Finley, Washburn
Maclane Finley threw six innings in the Ichabods’ game two 5-4 loss to Emporia State, allowing just one unearned run on three hits while striking out five with no walks. The Ichabods led 3-1 when Finley exited as he pitched into the fifth inning for a 12th straight start, every outing for the senior this season.
ALSO NOMINATED:
HITTERS – Derek Woolwine [Fort Hays State], Drew Veatch [Central Missouri], Jackson Mervosh [Washburn], Drake Lee [Central Oklahoma], Zach Burnes [Northeastern State]
PITCHERS – Sawyer Allen [Central Missouri], Owen Ruge [Emporia State], Holden Yaksick [Northeastern State], Zach Horwith [Rogers State], Caden Carter [Missouri Southern], Mylan Childres [Central Oklahoma]
WEEK ONE HITTER: Derek Woolwine, Fort Hays State
WEEK ONE PITCHER: Colby Deaver, Emporia State
--
WEEK TWO HITTER: Landin Midgett, Pittsburg State
WEEK TWO PITCHER: Cole Evans, Missouri Western
--
WEEK THREE HITTER: Drake Lee, Central Oklahoma
WEEK THREE PITCHERS: Braxton Jones, Central Oklahoma & Colby Deaver, Emporia State
--
WEEK FOUR HITTER: Noah Steele, Emporia State
WEEK FOUR PITCHER: Colby Deaver, Emporia State
--
WEEK FIVE HITTER: Noah Steele, Emporia State
WEEK FIVE PITCHER: Colby Deaver, Emporia State
--
WEEK SIX HITTER: Cole Kreisel, Central Missouri
WEEK SIX PITCHER: Gavin Williams, Central Missouri
--
WEEK SEVEN HITTER: Andres Contreras, Rogers State
WEEK SEVEN PITCHER: Owen Schneider, Missouri Southern
--
WEEK EIGHT HITTER: Jeremiah Cabuyaban, Northwest Missouri
WEEK EIGHT PITCHERS: Quinton Chindamo, Emporia State & Ty Blecha, Pittsburg State
--
WEEK NINE HITTER: Miguel Cantu, Missouri Western
WEEK NINE PITCHER: Zach Horwith, Rogers State
--
WEEK TEN HITTER: Dagen Brewer, Pittsburg State
WEEK TEN PITCHER: Ben Haug, Northwest Missouri
--
WEEK ELEVEN HITTER: Levi Risenhoover, Washburn
WEEK ELEVEN PITCHER: Bradyn McClure, Pittsburg State
--
WEEK TWELVE HITTER: Drake Lee, Central Oklahoma
WEEK TWELVE PITCHER: Ben Haug, Northwest Missouri
--
WEEK TWELVE HITTER: Seth Winkler, Missouri Western
WEEK TWELVE PITCHER: Cam Saleh, Missouri Western