Mid-American Conference

MAC Baseball Player of the Week
Michael Turner, Kent State, C          
Sophomore, Warren, Ohio (Warren Champion)     
Turner turned in another monster week for the Golden Flashes, batting at a .462 clip with a .769 slugging percentage and tallying eight RBIs through three games. In the series opener at Bowling Green, Turner came up in a clutch situation with bases loaded down 8-6 in the seventh inning and belted his second grand slam of the season to give Kent State its definitive lead. He collected a career-high six RBIs on the night and went on to drive in runs in each of the remaining two games. In MAC games this season, he ranks third in the conference in RBIs (27), sixth in batting average (.395), and is tied for fifth in sacrifice flies (3).
 
MAC Baseball Pitcher of the Week
John Baker, Ball State, RHP  
Junior, Hartland, Mich. (Hartland)   
Baker threw 7.0 innings of no-hit ball against Ohio, combining with reliever Luke Jaksich on the first 9-inning no-hitter in Ball State history. He struck out 9 and didn't allow a batter past 2nd base in the 116-pitch performance. Baker is now 7-1 on the year and 5-0 in MAC play and leads the league in ERA and BAA.
 
Other Nominees
Ryan Palmblad, Central Michigan, LHP        
Freshman, Orland Park, Ill. (Brother Rice)   
Palmblad turned in a pair of dominate performances out of the bullpen this past week helping propel the Chippewas to a 5-0 mark and their third-consecutive MAC sweep at Eastern Michigan. The Orland Park, Ill., native notched a 2-0 record with 7 2/3 innings pitched, six punch outs and a 1.17 ERA. In a 3-2, non-conference victory over Concordia on Wednesday, Palmblad tossed two innings of shutout baseball allowing just one hit to claim the win. On Sunday's 8-7 victory over the Eagles, Palmblad worked the final 5 2/3 innings in relief allowing just one run off one hit with five strikeouts to earn the win.
 
Jacob Crum, Central Michigan, OF   
Senior, St. Johns, Mich. (St. Johns)   
Crum had a strong offensive showing this past week as the Chippewas finished 5-0 and claimed their third-straight MAC Sweep over Eastern Michigan. The St. Johns, Mich., native finished the week batting at a .385 clip with five hits, two doubles and five RBI. On Friday's 11-1 victory over the Eagles, Crum went 3-of-4 at the plate with a double and three RBI. In Sunday's series finale, Crum added two RBI to help propel CMU to an 8-7 victory and series sweep.
 
Mitchell Sparks, Eastern Michigan, LHP       
Senior, Willis, Texas (Carmel (Ind.)) 
Sparks was outstanding for EMU in two performances against top-tier offenses, making appearances against the University of Michigan, May 8, and Central Michigan University, May 11. The southpaw tossed 5.2 innings in relief, allowing just four hits and one earned run against two teams thank rank inside the nation’s Top-40 in runs scored, Michigan (38th) and Central Michigan (5th). Sparks also held the two squads to a .200 batting average, well below their Top-50 season clips of .289, and .299, respectively. The veteran showed command and the ability to overpower opponent hitting, allowing just two walks while striking out three in his outings. With his impressive week, Sparks continues a stellar season for the Green and White. In his last four outings, the senior has allowed just one run on five hits while compiling a 0.87 ERA.
 
Zachary Owings, Eastern Michigan, Infielder          
Saline, Mich. (Saline)
Owings led the Eastern Michigan offense in its four games against the University of Michigan, May 8, and Central Michigan University, May 10-12. Owings knocked six hits in 18 at-bats (.333), including three-extra base hits, en route to his three run, two-RBI week. The junior led the team with nine total bases on the week and a .500 slugging percentage, and added his team-best 25th multi-hit game of the season with his two-hit performance against the Wolverines. In his last 10 games, Owings is hitting at a .333 clips, and leads EMU with four extra-base hits, five RBIs, and 18 total bases.
 
John Matthews, Kent State, RHP     
Junior, Punxsutawney, Pa. (Punxsutawney)
Matthews recorded his third consecutive win on the mound for the Flashes, dazzling in long relief with 4.2 innings. The Punxsutawney, Pa. native struck out six while allowing just one run with one hit and one walk. On the season, Matthews ranks third in the conference in both strike outs (80) and batters struck out looking (24) and fifth in wins (6). In MAC play, Matthews ranks second in batters struck out looking (18), fourth in opposing batting average (.199) and sixth in strike outs (47).
 
Erik Hedmark, NIU, Pitcher   
Freshman, Algonquin, Ill. (Dundee-Crown) 
Hedmark threw eight shutout innings in NIU's 4-0 win in game two of Saturday's doubleheader at Toledo, completing a sweep of the twinbill. The freshman lefty struck out a season-high eight batters, scattering six hits with two walks.
 
Jordan Larson, NIU, 1B         
Junior, Dodgeville, Wis./Dodgeville (College of DuPage)   
Larson was 5-for-11 in three games at Toledo, going 4-for-8 in the doubleheader sweep on Saturday that clinched the series and a MAC Tournament berth for NIU. Larson was 3-for-4 with a double in game one on Saturday.
 
Brady Miller, Western Michigan, RHP         
Freshman, Plainfield, Ill. (Plainfield North) 
In Saturday’s game two at Miami, freshman Brady Miller was lights out on the mound tossing a career-high seven innings, allowing one earned run on six hits while striking out two. With the outing Miller captured his fourth win of the season and lowered his season ERA from 3.80 to 3.46. Miller is tied for the team lead with a 4-2 record and has a team-low 3.46 ERA. In just 14 appearances this season, the freshman RHP ranks second on the team with 44 strikeouts. In his last two outings, Miller has given up just two earned runs on 10 hits and has struck out nine batters. Opponents are currently hitting just .256 against Miller as the freshman has won his last two starts.