Brendan Smith

 

What a week in college baseball. This weekend in particular featured a ton of no-hitters, some Top 25 action, and one perfect game. The pitching award was particularly tough to pick, with so many to mention.

Standout Pitching Performance: Joe DeMers, RHP, Washington

Joe DeMers stood out in a weekend full of outstanding pitching performances. DeMers, who has yet to allow a run in 15 innings this season, was perfect against UC-Riverside this Saturday, needing just 84 pitches to set down 27 batters in a row. DeMers struck out nine batters, showcasing the high upside he flashed in high school. DeMers, possessing a mid-90s mph fastball, was ranked the 27th-best recruit in the 2015 class, and struggled in his freshman season, an ERA above 6.00. DeMers returned and proceeded to go 6-3 with a 3.35 ERA as a sophomore, setting the stage for a strong junior season, and boy, did he deliver. A perfect game may just be the beginning for DeMers, as he continues to raise his prospect status. Congratulations Joe.

Standout Hitting Performance of the Week: Noah Haupt, OF, New Mexico State

New Mexico State had themselves a weekend. At the center of their offensive explosion (more on that later), was Noah Haupt. In 4 games this week, Haupt hit .611 (11/18) with 2 homeruns and 15 (!!!) RBI. For some, 15 RBI is a good season, never mind a week. Haupt also slugged an otherworldly 1.222, and helped the Aggies to a 3-1 record. While skewed due to the onslaught of offense in the past four games, Haupt is currently hitting .591, with 2 homeruns and 17 RBI for the season, with 6 of his 13 hits going for extra-bases.

Team of the Week: New Mexico State Aggies

This should come as no surprise to even the most casual of college baseball fans. Despite a mid-week shutout at the hands of Texas Tech, the Aggies managed to light up Mississippi Valley State to the tune of 74 runs in a three-game sweep this past weekend. Friday was by far the worst of the three, with New Mexico tagging Mississippi Valley for 39 (not a typo) runs on 30 hits. As if that was not enough, NMSU then outscored Mississippi Valley 35-4 in a Saturday doubleheader to cap the weekend. Not only am I impressed by the surge of offense, but I have to applaud Mississippi Valley for showing up to the field on Saturday. To lose by 39 is almost unheard of in baseball, and has to make the next day of games against that team almost miserable. Kudos to the Delta Devils for not giving up and at least showing up.

Moment of the Week: Stetson No-Hitter Celebration

Thanks to sophomore lefty Mitchell Senger, Stetson was able to celebrate the school’s first no-hitter since 1986, and fifth overall.

The pure joy and excitement from the team was awesome to watch, as they all hurried to congratulate their teammate. In what would have easily been the pitching performance of the week in almost any other week, Senger did not allow a hit while striking out 16 batters and walking just one. Stetson also features a legitimate top-10 prospect in ace Logan Gilbert, who bounced back from a lackluster season debut to strike out 10 and allow just 2 runs in 6 innings on Friday. If Senger can continue his strong start, and Gilbert can continue to throw the ball well, Stetson may be a sleeper team to reach Omaha.

BONUS: My Favorite Video of the Week

St. John’s has exploded on the scene recently, with some impressive Top 25 wins recently, but also for their social media. @SJBullpenAntics is quickly becoming a must-follow account. My former travel-ball teammate Joe LaSorsa has not only begun to make a name for himself on the mound, but also as the star of the St. John’s Bullpen Antics twitter account. Without further ado, I present to you, St. John’s Bullpen Antics.