Youngstown State's Banks and Aquadro Named Baseball Players of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS – Youngstown State senior Jeremy Banks and junior Blake Aquadro have been named Horizon League Baseball Players of the Week for the period of April 23-29.

Banks picked up Batter of the Week accolades after batting .636 in Youngstown State’s sweep of UIC last weekend. The senior first baseman finished the three-game series 7-for-11 and also added three walks for a weekend on-base percentage of .714. Banks had three RBIs in YSU’s 11-3 win on Friday and added three more in the team’s 9-0 win on Sunday. Banks was 4-for-4 in final game of the series and collected the 200^th hit of his career in the game.

Banks was on top of nearly every conference offensive category when he got injured 17 games into the season. The senior returned after missing 14 games and is now batting .400 on the year with five home runs and 34 RBIs.

Aquadro earned pitching honors after pitching Youngstown State’s first complete game shutout since 2004. The junior lefthander scattered eight hits over nine innings while striking out three. He pitched in the final game of YSU’s sweep over UIC, throwing 144 pitches in the second game of Sunday’s doubleheader.

Other Horizon League top performers (April 23-29)
Tristan Moore, Wright State, Sr., OF – Moore batted .550 last week in WSU’s 3-1 week, scoring eight runs and driving in nine more.

Elliott Martin, Valparaiso, Jr., IF – Martin batted .375 last week to help Valparaiso sweep Milwaukee. He had a pair of 3-for-4 games in Valpo’s three-game series against the Panthers.

Phil Striggow, Milwaukee, Sr., 1B/3B –Striggow batted .375 (6-for-16) to pace the UWM offense on the week, scoring five runs, collecting three doubles and driving in three runs.

Kevin Wild, Valparaiso, Sr., RHP – Wild pitched a complete game, his third of the season, in helping Valparaiso sweep Milwaukee. He struck out five and allowed six hits and gave up just one run (unearned). He has allowed just four earned runs in his last six starts (42 innings).

Taylor Braun, Wright State, So., RHP –Braun threw seven innings of three hit ball on Saturday in the Raiders’ 12-1 win over Butler. He struck out five and walked just two while allowing only one run (unearned).

Eric King, Milwaukee, Fr., RHP –King collected his first collegiate win against Northern Illinois on Tuesday, tossing 5.0 shutout innings, walking none and striking out three.