MAC Baseball Player of the Week
Jake Dunham, NIU, Catcher, Senior
Plainfield, Ill. (Plainfield North)
Jake Dunham hit .600/.647/1.067 as NIU split its four-game series against Western Michigan this past weekend. The senior catcher was 9-for-15 at the plate to extend his current hitting streak to 11 games. He had a double and two home runs on the weekend with five RBI. In Friday's series opener, Dunham was 3-for-5 with a solo home run. After going 1-for-3 in both games of Saturday's doubleheader, Dunham tied a career-high with four hits in NIU's 15-5 win in eight innings. He drove in three runs, including his sixth home run of the season, and was a triple away from the cycle in a 4-for-4 game with three runs scored.
MAC Baseball Pitcher of the Week
Joe Rock, Ohio, LHP
Junior, Aliquippa, Pa. (Hopewell)
Junior southpaw starting pitcher Joe Rock (Aliquippa, Pa.) struck out 12 in just six innings as the Ohio baseball team (24-17, 15-13 MAC) opened a four-game Mid-American Conference weekend rivalry series against Miami with a 3-1 victory in seven innings in game one of a doubleheader on Friday (May 7) at Bob Wren Stadium. Rock surrendered a leadoff solo home run to Miami redshirt freshman center fielder Benji Brokemond in the top of the first inning but settled in after that to hold the RedHawks at bay. He gave up just three more hits, none of which went from extra bases, and a walk the rest of the way as he improved to 8-1 on the season.
2021 MAC Basball Players of the Week
Feb. 23: Joe Weisenseel, Ohio (Player) // Tyler Ruetschle, Ball State (Pitcher)
Mar. 1: Chris Meyers. Toledo (Player) // Joe Rock, Ohio (Pitcher)
Mar. 8: Spencer Harbert, Ohio (Player) // John Baker, Ball State & Luke Albright (Co-Pitchers)
Mar. 16: Justin Miknis, Kent State (Player) // Andrew Taylor, Central Michigan (Pitcher)
Mar. 22: Zach Gilles, Central Michigan (Player) // John Baker, Ball State (Pitcher)
Mar. 30: Ryan Peltier, Ball State (Player) // Chayce McDermott, Ball State (Pitcher)
Apr. 5: Ben Carew, Kent State (Player) // Brandon Petersen, Western Michigan (Pitcher)
Apr. 12: Chris Meyers, Toledo (Player) // Jordan Patty, Central Michigan (Pitcher)
Apr. 19: Trace Hatfield, Toledo; Zach Heeke, Central Michigan (Co-Players); Jordan Patty, Central Michigan (Pitcher)
Apr. 26: Adam Furnas, Bowling Green (Player); John Baker, Ball State; Joe Rock, Ohio (Co-Pitchers)
May 3: Ethan Hajdukovic, Western Michigan (Player); Jordan Patty, Central Michigan (Pitcher)
May 10: Jake Dunham, NIU (Player); Joe Rock, Ohio (Pitcher)
