NWC Baseball: Heron, Kerr Earn Weekly Honors
The Northwest Conference (NWC) baseball committee has recognized standout performances with its latest weekly awards for the week of March 25th through March 31st. Lewis & Clark College dominated the honors as senior Will Heron captured Hitter of the Week and junior Nate Kerr claimed Pitcher of the Week distinctions. The duo played pivotal roles in the Pioneers’ breakthrough week, which included their first conference series victory of the 2025 campaign.
Heron Named Hitter Of The Week
Lewis & Clark’s Will Heron transformed the batter’s box into his personal launching pad against Puget Sound. The senior first baseman connected for six home runs in the four-game weekend series, punctuating a week where he hit .381 (8-for-21) with seven runs scored and 12 RBI.
The Bellingham native terrorized Logger pitching. He homered in each contest while posting a staggering 1.238 slugging percentage. Moreover, Heron saved his most explosive performances for Sunday’s doubleheader, where he hammered two home runs in both games. His 3-for-5, five-RBI outburst in the conference series rubber match powered the Pioneers to a decisive 10-0 run-rule victory.
Sunday’s power display etched Heron into the Lewis & Clark record books. He became just the 11th Pioneer to surpass 100 career RBI (now 109), while climbing to tie for 13th all-time with 17 career home runs. The senior’s offensive explosion makes him only the 10th player in program history to record double-digit homers in a single season.
The conference recognition marks Heron’s second weekly award this season, as he continues to lead the Pioneers in multiple offensive categories including home runs, RBI (27), runs scored (24), and total bases (59).
Kerr Earns Pitching Honor
Nate Kerr‘s emergence as a shutdown reliever earned the junior his first career NWC weekly award. The right-hander from Encino, California dominated in two extended save opportunities, blanking opponents across six crucial innings while permitting just three singles and one hit batsman.
Kerr’s week began with a flawless performance against Whitman College on Monday. Subsequently, he retired all nine batters he faced to preserve a combined one-hitter in a 2-0 victory – the Pioneers’ first shutout in over four years. His three perfect innings completed starter Luke Ritter’s masterpiece.
The reliever proved equally valuable during Saturday’s series opener against Puget Sound. Despite the pressure, Kerr navigated through three tense innings to secure a 7-4 win, stranding the potential tying run at the plate in both the eighth and ninth frames. The clutch performance delivered Lewis & Clark’s first game-one victory in conference play this season.
Kerr has developed into a reliable bullpen weapon for the Pioneers. He sports a 2-0 record with two saves (tied for team lead) and a stellar 2.20 ERA across 16.1 innings. Finally, his impressive 12:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio highlights the junior’s command and effectiveness in high-leverage situations.
Read about last week’s NWC Hitter and Pitcher of the Week (March 18-24)
