Player of the Week
Lucas Rick, Western Michigan, INF/OF
Redshirt Senior, Rockford, Mich. (Rockford)
Lucas Rick had a huge week at the plate for Western Michigan, going 8-for-15 (.533) and slugging 1.267 with a pair of doubles, three homers and nine RBIs. The redshirt senior started the week by going 3-for-3 with a home run and reaching base in all four of his trips to the plate at Michigan State. He went deep again in Friday's series opener at Bowling Green, and then notched three hits, including two doubles, and drove in three in Saturday's victory over BGSU which clinched WMU a spot in the MAC Tournament. He closed out the weekend with a three-run blast on Sunday afternoon.
Co-Pitcher of the Week
Ethan Stade, Bowling Green, LHP
Redshirt Senior, New Ulm, Minn. (New Ulm)
Ethan Stade was dominant on the mound for Bowling Green against Western Michigan, striking out a career-high 15 batters over 7.2 innings of work without allowing a walk. The outing marked the second time this season that Stade has registered the most strikeouts by a Falcon in at least 25 years based on available game-by-game records after tallying 14 strikeouts against UMass earlier this season. Stade has now tallied 6+ strikeouts in eight straight appearances as well as nine of his last 10. For the year, Stade now has 96 strikeouts, leading the MAC and ranking third in program history. He is also averaging 14.5 strikeouts per nine innings, ranking sixth in the nation.
Co-Pitcher of the Week
Hayden Bailey, Central Michigan, RHP
Senior, Davison, Mitch. (Davison)
Central Michigan senior right-hander Hayden Bailey tossed a two-hit, complete-game shutout in a 3-0 Mid-American Conference victory over Akron in his final career start on his home mound on Keilitz Field at Theunissen Stadium. Bailey struck out eight and walked one in snapping CMU’s seven-game MAC losing streak. None of the Zips’ three baserunners advanced past first base. Bailey was perfect through 5 2/3 innings then issued a walk. The Zips’ hits, both singles, came from their leadoff hitter in the seventh inning and in the ninth. Bailey threw 104 pitches, 61 for strikes in fashioning his first career complete game and the Chippewas’ first since 2024.
2026 Baseball Players & Pitchers of the Week
Week 1 (Feb. 16): Sawyer Solitaria, Kent State (Player); Luke Neiswonger, Central Michigan (Pitcher)
Week 2 (Feb. 23): Jacob Gillis, Ball State (Co-Player); Sawyer Solitaria, Kent State (Co-Player); Evan Holewinski, Kent State (Co-Pitcher); Danny Cihocki, Northern Illinois (Co-Pitcher)
Week 3 (March 2): Tommy Harrison, Miami (Player); Brendan Garza, Ball State (Pitcher)
Week 4 (March 9): Caden Robertson, Northern Illinois (Player); Ethan Stade, Bowling Green (Pitcher)
Week 5 (March 16): Ryan Muizelaar, Ball State (Player); Zac Sohosky, Miami (Pitcher)
Week 6 (March 23): Harrison Bowman, Central Michigan, (Player); Nathan Leininger, Toledo (Pitcher)
Week 7 (March 30): Ryan Muizelaar, Ball State (Player); Brendan Garza, Ball State (Co-Pitcher); Max Vaisvila, Northern Illinois (Co-Pitcher)
Week 8 (April 6): Tommy Harrison, Miami (Player); Carter Cox, Northern Illinois (Pitcher)
Week 9 (April 13): Gavin O’Brien, UMass (Player); Adam Merritt, UMass (Pitcher)
Week 10 (April 20): Avery Thielman, Western Michigan (Player); Ethan Stade, Bowling Green (Pitcher)
Week 11 (April 27): Ty Stecko, Eastern Michigan (Player); Austin Berggren, Miami (Co-Pitcher); Hayden Frey, Toledo (Co-Pitcher)
Week 12 (May 4): Brody Williams, Kent State (Player); John Carmichael, Eastern Michigan (Pitcher)
Week 13 (May 11): Lucas Rick, Western Michigan (Player); Ethan Stade, Bowling Green (Co-Pitcher); Hayden Bailey, Central Michigan (Co-Pitcher)
