PNW Players of the Week Announced | 3/10 – 3/16
This week’s PNW baseball weekly honors were announced by the B1G, WAC, WCC, GNAC, NWC, and CCC to recognize standout performances from March 10-16. Oregon’s Collin Clarke dominated Minnesota with seven scoreless innings, MSU Billings’ Ryan Jeffrey hit .583 in a four-game sweep, and NNU’s Ernesto Lugo-Canchola pitched a complete-game shutout. George Fox’s Evan Balingit collected seven hits and eight RBIs in three games, Whitworth’s AJ Woodward delivered seven scoreless innings, and Bushnell swept the CCC awards with Cade Crist’s five-homer outburst and Braden Proud’s three-hit gem against College of Idaho.
Big Ten (B1G)
Pitcher of the Week – Collin Clarke, Oregon
The sophomore right-handed pitcher from Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Irvine, California delivered a masterful performance in the Ducks’ 4-2 victory over Minnesota, securing the series win with seven scoreless innings. Clarke dominated the Gopher lineup, recording eight strikeouts while surrendering only three hits and limiting opposing batters to a meager .136 average.
Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC)
Hitter of the Week – Ryan Jeffrey, MSU Billings
Jeffrey posted a .583 batting average, .647 on-base percentage, and 1.167 slugging percentage during the Yellowjackets’ four-game sweep of Saint Martin’s. The senior recorded hits in all four games, collected eight RBIs, and hit two home runs in the series finale while reaching base in all five plate appearances. Jeffrey played error-free defense in center field with an outfield assist, currently holding a .342 season average and .465 on-base percentage, ranking second on the team.
Pitcher of the Week – Ernesto Lugo-Canchola, NNU
The Nighthawks’ southpaw hurled a stellar complete-game shutout with seven strikeouts against Central Washington, permitting just four scattered hits in the series-clinching victory. Lugo-Canchola demonstrated immediate command by fanning all three batters in the first inning of his 109-pitch gem, which secured his fifth win. His clutch pitching was on display as he navigated through five innings with opposing runners in scoring position, including a tense seventh-inning situation where he preserved the shutout with the tying run in the on-deck circle.
Northwest Conference (NWC)
Hitter of the Week – Evan Balingit, George Fox
The junior outfielder from San Ramon Valley High School in Danville, California powered the Bruins to a perfect 3-0 weekend in Arizona with an exceptional .583 batting average across games against Hamline, Macalester, and Augsburg. Balingit collected seven hits and drove in eight runs during the three-game sweep, highlighted by a three-run homer against Macalester. His all-around performance included three stolen bases, a hit-by-pitch, and a sacrifice fly as he proved instrumental in George Fox’s flawless weekend.
Pitcher of the Week – AJ Woodward, Whitworth
The junior pitcher from Brewster, Washington delivered seven scoreless innings in Whitworth’s commanding 8-0 victory over Lewis & Clark to open the weekend series. Woodward displayed exceptional control by striking out five batters without allowing a single walk, while limiting the opposition to just four scattered hits throughout his start. The dominant performance improved Woodward’s season record to 2-1 and reduced his earned run average to 3.64.
Cascade Conference (CCC)
Hitter of the Week – Cade Crist, Bushnell
The senior first baseman from Springfield, Oregon delivered an explosive performance during Bushnell’s successful weekend, which included three victories over College of Idaho and a non-conference win against Linfield. Crist posted a .389 batting average with seven hits including five home runs, generating a 1.222 slugging percentage while driving in 13 runs and scoring five times. His remarkable weekend featured two multi-homer games and a single-game performance where he tied the school record with six RBIs.
Pitcher of the Week – Braden Proud, Bushnell
The 6’1″ right-handed junior from Orangevale, California earned CCC Pitcher of the Week honors after his stellar outing in game two of the series against College of Idaho, where the Beacons secured a 5-2 victory. Proud dominated through seven innings, surrendering just three singles while striking out seven batters and allowing no earned runs, posting a remarkable 0.43 WHIP for the game. This commanding performance helped Proud lower his season ERA to 2.64, currently ranking as the second-lowest mark among all pitchers in the Cascade Collegiate Conference.
PNW Baseball Weekly Honors | March 3-9
