For Immediate Release
Tuesday, February 8, 2022
NSIC Media Relations

NSIC Player of the Week*
#29 Ben Thoma (C/3B, 6-0, 205, R-Sr., R/R, Clearbrook, Minn. / Bagley HS) - Minnesota Crookston
- Hit .300 in two wins against Northwestern Oklahoma State
- Blasted three home runs for five RBI, with five runs scored
- Boasted a 1.564 OPS and a 1.200 slugging percentage
- Added a .364 on-base percentage.

NSIC Pitcher of the Week*
#33 Jake Dykhoff (RHP, 6-0, 195, R-Jr., R/R, Wadena, Minn. / Wadena-Deer Creek HS) - Minnesota Crookston
- Tossed five innings of shutout ball in a win over Northwestern Oklahoma State
- Struck out eight and walked just two of the 19 batters he faced
- Held opponent to a .118 batting average after allowing just two hits with a 0.80 WHIP

*Results/Stats from contests played Saturday, Feb. 5 and Sunday, Feb. 6 only

Other Top Performances - Player
Blake Gallagher (MINOT) went 7-for-15 with a home run and 5 RBI for the Beavers, helping Minot State to take 2-of-3 at Metro State to open the season.
Reece Regatz (NSU) went 2-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored in the Wolves 12-6 setback at Emporia State to open the season. 

Other Top Performances - Pitcher
Ricky Apodaca (MINOT) earned his first win of the season as he struck out 10 Metro State batters in 6.0 innings work, allowing just one earned run and three hits for Minot State.
Andrew Pugliano (NSU) went 4.2 innings in relief allowing one earned run on six hits and striking out five of the 22 batters he faced.  

NSIC Baseball Players of the Week
2/8/22
Player:  #29 Ben Thoma - Minnesota Crookston
Pitcher:  #33 Jake Dykhoff  - Minnesota Crookston

About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 16-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The NSIC is a model Division II conference that uses high-level athletics competition to develop champions in the classroom and community while empowering student-athletes to be impactful and positive leaders. Formed in 1992 by the merger of the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (men’s league) and the Northern Sun Conference (women’s league), the NSIC has flourished over the past quarter century, maturing into a 16-team union of Upper Midwest colleges and universities. The NSIC has won 24 team national championships and crowned 81 individual national champions. For additional information, visit NorthernSun.org.

About NCAA Division II
The NCAA, the national governing body for college athletics, is a volunteer association of more than 1,000 colleges and universities that classify their athletics programs in one of three membership divisions. The 300+ institutions in NCAA Division II support a balanced approach in which student-athletes can earn scholarships based on their athletic ability, pursue their desired academic degree, and participate in all the campus and surrounding community have to offer. Division II student-athletes annually graduate at rates higher than their student body peers, and they have access to the best championships-participant ratio among the NCAA’s three divisions. Division II gives student-athletes the unique opportunity to compete in the classroom, on the field, in their career, for their causes, and on their terms. For additional information, visit NCAA.org.