For Immediate Release
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
NSIC Media Relations

NSIC Player of the Week
#23 Jack Hines (IF, 6-2, 205, Sr., R/R, Lombard, Ill. / Willowbrook HS) - Augustana
- Went 8-13 with two home runs, a pair of doubles, and eight RBI in a four-game sweep over BSU
- Added three stolen bases and seven runs scored
- Went 3-for-4 with a double and four RBI to open the series Friday afternoon
- Had two hits, including a home run, in each of the last two games of the series
- Extended his season-opening hit streak to 12 games and leads the team with eight multi-hit games

NSIC Pitcher of the Week
#48 Caleb Saari (RHP, 6-5, 240, Sr., R/R, Moorhead, Minn. / Moorhead HS) - Augustana
- Tied a program-record with 17 strikeouts against Bemidji State
- Threw his first career complete game shutout
- Allowed just one hit and one walk in nine innings
- Had at least two strikeouts in six of the nine innings
- Holds a 1.80 ERA on the season with 23 strikeouts in 20 innings

Other Top Performances - Player
Nick Thimsen (CSP) 
- Helped lead CSP to a 3-0 sweep over Malone (Ohio) at the TIG Sports Tucson Invitational
- Slashed .600/.688/.1000 against the Pioneers 
- Tallied six hits that included a 3-run home run and double 
- Drove in a team-leading eight runners and scored five times himself
- Added three hit-by-pitches and two walks at the plate
- Recorded eight putouts to finish with a perfect fielding percentage
Michael Gabbard (UMD) 
- Was 6-19 (.316), 3 HR's, 10 RBIs over six games at the RussMatt Central Florida Invite
- Two grand slams over two games against Wayne State University and Florida Tech
- 1.000% FLD with 29 put outs in three games on the field
- Helped UMD to a 4-5 record throughout the tournament
Nick Baker (MSU) 
- Registered a .364 AVG in five games this week
- Recorded five runs and 10 RBI while launching his first home run on the season on 3/11 against NSU
- Registered two doubles while collecting 13 total bases
- Lead the team in Slugging % (.591) and produced a .462 OB%
Ricky Apodaca (MINOT)
- Has hit safely in 5 straight games, leading the Beavers offense as they went 4-2 on the week
- Hit .545 (12-for-22) during the week with 9 RBIs, 9 runs scored, 4 doubles, a triple, and 2 stolen bases
Brennan Phillips (NSU)
- Hit .429 (6-for-14) over the four game series against Minnesota State
- Recorded a .500 OB % and .429 SLG % on the weekend
- Knocked three RBIS, three runs, and one stolen base on the weekend
- Was perfect on the defensive side with 15 put outs
Chase McDaniel (SMSU)
- Batted .391 in five games with nine hits in 23 at bats 
- Added two doubles, one triple, one home run and 11 RBIs
- Racked up 16 total bases and scored six runs
- Stole two bases and made one error with 10 assists and one put out
- He was 2 for 6 with five RBIs and a home run in a win over Dakota Wesleyan 
- He was 3 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs scored with a triple in a win over Hamline on Sunday
- Capped the week going 4 for 5 with two doubles, four RBIs and two runs scored in a win over Macalester
Carter Thomas (WSC)
Hit .667 in five games on Florida spring trip going 12 for 18 at the plate
Had five multi-hit games with seven RBI and seven runs scored with three stolen bases
Went 3 for 4 with three runs scored vs. Ashland
Was 3 for 4 with double and two RBIs vs. Davis & Elkins
Went 2 for 3 with two RBI and two stolen bases vs. Holy Family (Pa.)
Ryland Wall (WSU)
- Went 10-of-28 at the plate, good for a .357 average
- Scored seven times in a series with Minot State
- Had a double and home run
- Drove in four runs

Other Top Performances - Pitcher
Ian Segna (CSP) 
- Improved his record to 3-0 in his third career start on the bump against Malone (Ohio) at the TIG Sports Tucson Invitational 
- Went a career-best 7.0 innings pitched against the Pioneers
- Finished with a career-best single game earned run average of 1.29 after allowing only one earned run - Added four strikeouts and walked zero of the 27 batters that he faced
Brayden Buttweiler (UMD) 
- Pitched 6.0 innings, allowing two hits, with six strikeouts in win at RussMatt Central Florida Invite
- Held Wayne State University (MICH) to 1 run in 12-1 win
- He did not allow an earned run with 27 batters faced for his fourth career win with UMD
Craig Schmich (MINOT) 
- Earned his first win of the season with a complete-game effort in a 7-2 victory over WSU
- Allowed an earned run in two appearances and 7.1 innings
- Struck out eight opposing batters
- Scattered seven hits and allowed two runs, one earned in his two outings
Cale Haugen (MSU) 
- Nine total innings pitched in two starts registering a 3.00 ERA and eight strikeouts
- Held opponents to a .172 batting average
- Collected his first Collegiate win against NSU 
Max Otto (NSU) 
- Pitched 7.0 innings with four strikeouts against 29 batters
- Tallied the win in the first game of the series against Minnesota State
- Held hitters to a .192 batting average in the 8-3 win against the Mavericks
- Recorded an ERA of 2.57 in the game while only giving up five hits
Kolby Kiser (SMSU) 
- Set a school record with 16 strikeouts in eight innings
- Allowed one run on four hits in a no-decision versus Walsh (Ohio) on Saturday 
- Carried a shutout into the eighth inning before Walsh tied the game at 1-1 with a two-out single
- The 16 strikeouts broke the previous record of 15 set by Adam Schrader during the 2009 season
Cameron Kramer (WSU) 
- Picked up a pair of win for Winona State over the past week pitching 11.2 innings
- Earned the win against Thomas More, going 6 innings & allowing just two earned runs
- Led WSU to the first NSIC win of the year, going  5.2 innings, earning 4 Ks & walking just one
NSIC Baseball Players of the Week
2/13/24
Player: #4 Trey Wells – Wayne State  
Pitcher:  #12 Corbin Kirk – Wayne State
2/20/24
Player: #19 Mason Nadolney – Concordia-St. Paul
Pitcher: #21 Luke Tupy – St. Cloud State
2/27/24
Player: #2 Cal James – St. Cloud State
Pitcher: #26 Owen Weadge – Sioux Falls
3/4/24
Player: #2 Keenan Wenzel  - SMSU
Pitcher: #8 Ashton Michek  – Augustana
3/12/24
Player: #23 Jack Hines - Augustana
Pitcher: #48 Caleb Saari - Augustana

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 25 team national championships and crowned 113 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.