Michigan State University Athletics
Powers Named Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Week
3/30/2021 4:00:00 PM | Baseball
Freshman pitcher earns accolade in stymieing league-leading Indiana Sunday.
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State's Nick Powers has been named the Big Ten Conference Baseball Co-Freshman of the Week, announced by the conference office Tuesday afternoon.
Powers collects MSU's first Big Ten Freshman of the Week award since March 12, 2018 when current teammate Mason Erla earned the accolade. This is the second weekly honor this season for the Spartans, as sophomore outfielder Zaid Walker was named the Player of the Week on March 10 following the opening weekend of the season.Â
Powers, a freshman pitcher from Flushing, Michigan, earned this week's honor for his performance in Michigan State's win over B1G-leader Indiana on Sunday, March 28. In his first-ever game at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field, Powers fired 6.2 IP shutout innings in earning the win against B1G leader Indiana on Sunday, running his scoreless inning streak to 15-straight innings, before yielding a run with two outs in the seventh. He finished with three strikeouts, and did not allow an Indiana runner past second base until the seventh, his final inning, in limiting the Hoosiers to a season-low four hits while tying a season-low with just one run, after Indiana entered the game among the B1G leaders in hits and runs. Powers also got solid defensive play behind him to help stymie Indiana.
The Spartan southpaw is the only pitcher in the Big Ten to defeat the top two teams in the league standings in Indiana and Michigan. He accomplished the feat in his last two starts over the span of less than a week, beating Michigan last Monday, March 22, and Indiana on Sunday, March 28.
In last week's win vs. Michigan, Powers went a career-high 7.0 innings while limiting Michigan to just four hits, while striking out three in just his third collegiate appearance, as Michigan State shutout Michigan, 3-0, for the Spartans' first shutout win over Michigan since April 19, 2002 in Ann Arbor, as well as snapping a 10-game losing skein in the series. He also dealt No. 22 Michigan it's first shutout loss of the season, and the Wolverines' first shutout loss since March 17, 2019.
Powers and the Spartans head to Minneapolis, Minnesota this weekend to take on Minnesota, Friday-Sunday, April 2-4. The Spartans vs. Golden Gophers series gets underway Friday at 5 p.m. ET, then 2 p.m. start times on Saturday and Sunday.
Along with any schedule updates, fans can follow the games with links for live stats and live streaming from Big Ten Network+ at MSUSpartans.com.
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Powers collects MSU's first Big Ten Freshman of the Week award since March 12, 2018 when current teammate Mason Erla earned the accolade. This is the second weekly honor this season for the Spartans, as sophomore outfielder Zaid Walker was named the Player of the Week on March 10 following the opening weekend of the season.Â
Powers, a freshman pitcher from Flushing, Michigan, earned this week's honor for his performance in Michigan State's win over B1G-leader Indiana on Sunday, March 28. In his first-ever game at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field, Powers fired 6.2 IP shutout innings in earning the win against B1G leader Indiana on Sunday, running his scoreless inning streak to 15-straight innings, before yielding a run with two outs in the seventh. He finished with three strikeouts, and did not allow an Indiana runner past second base until the seventh, his final inning, in limiting the Hoosiers to a season-low four hits while tying a season-low with just one run, after Indiana entered the game among the B1G leaders in hits and runs. Powers also got solid defensive play behind him to help stymie Indiana.
The Spartan southpaw is the only pitcher in the Big Ten to defeat the top two teams in the league standings in Indiana and Michigan. He accomplished the feat in his last two starts over the span of less than a week, beating Michigan last Monday, March 22, and Indiana on Sunday, March 28.
In last week's win vs. Michigan, Powers went a career-high 7.0 innings while limiting Michigan to just four hits, while striking out three in just his third collegiate appearance, as Michigan State shutout Michigan, 3-0, for the Spartans' first shutout win over Michigan since April 19, 2002 in Ann Arbor, as well as snapping a 10-game losing skein in the series. He also dealt No. 22 Michigan it's first shutout loss of the season, and the Wolverines' first shutout loss since March 17, 2019.
Powers and the Spartans head to Minneapolis, Minnesota this weekend to take on Minnesota, Friday-Sunday, April 2-4. The Spartans vs. Golden Gophers series gets underway Friday at 5 p.m. ET, then 2 p.m. start times on Saturday and Sunday.
Along with any schedule updates, fans can follow the games with links for live stats and live streaming from Big Ten Network+ at MSUSpartans.com.
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Players Mentioned
Tuesday, February 24
Monday, February 16
Monday, January 26
Monday, May 19