LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference announced its sixth set of Baseball Athletes of the Week. In the East, Mansfield's Jacob Houtz (Athlete of the Week) and West Chester's Ryan DeHaven (Pitcher of the Week) were selected. In the West, there were a pair of Co-Athletes of the Week in California's Payton Conte and Seton Hill's Jakob Haynes while Slippery Rock's Nate Malak earned Pitcher of the Week honors.
Eastern Division Athlete of the Week
Jacob Houtz
Mansfield
Infield
Senior
Schuylkill Haven, Pa. / Schuylkill Haven
Houtz was a key part in Mansfield's weekend with Kutztown University. On the weekend, the senior accumulated a .714 (10-14) batting average, five doubles, six extra-base hits, five runs, and 11 RBIs, and a solo shot at the plate. In game four of the series, Houtz went 3-for-4, with six RBIs and two runs. All three hits were for extra bases and bolstered the chance for the Mounties to score 17 runs in the game. The senior currently leads the team in average (.500), slugging (.968), hits (31), RBIs (26), runs (19), extra base hits (17), doubles (11), and home runs (6). His average, slugging, on-base percentage, total bases, and OPS leads the conference, while also sitting tied for second in doubles, tied for third in home runs, fourth in RBIs, and fifth in hits.
Eastern Division Pitcher of the Week
Ryan DeHaven
West Chester
Pitcher
Junior
Perkasie, Pa. / Pennridge
DeHaven had an excellent week on the mound for West Chester, pitching 10 innings over the course of two appearances, allowing just one run on five hits, while striking out six. DeHaven started his week with an eight-inning gem against Molloy in mid-week action, which saw the junior pitch eight innings, allowing one run on five hits, while striking out six. DeHaven’s win fell victim to a ninth-inning rally against the Golden Ram bullpen, which led to him being saddled with a no-decision. On Sunday afternoon against East Stroudsburg, DeHaven earned his first save of the season with two shutout innings, needing just 21 pitches to slam the door on a 4-3 comeback victory and lift the Golden Rams to an important series split vs the Warriors.
Western Division Co-Athlete of the Week
Payton Conte
California
First Base
Senior
California, Pa. / California
Conte hit at a .625 clip with 16 RBI and seven runs scored last week, as the Vulcans won all four games to extend their winning streak to 10 games – their longest since the 2010 campaign. He also registered a 1.650 OPS behind four multi-hit and four multi-RBI games. Conte reached base five times (two hits, two walks, hit by pitch), drove in two runs, scored three times and stole one base on Tuesday in a 15-13 victory over Wheeling. The California native lined a two-run double in the first inning before drawing a leadoff walk in the eighth inning and scored the eventual game-winning run. Conte registered six hits (two doubles, homer), nine RBI, four runs scored and one stolen base in a home doubleheader sweep against Lock Haven to open PSAC West play on Friday when California scored a combined 29 runs over 14 innings. The 6-foot-4 first baseman then collected two hits and five RBI in a 13-12 comeback victory in Game 1 on Saturday at Lock Haven (Game 2 was postponed due to weather conditions). The Vulcans trailed by a 12-3 margin before he registered at least one RBI in his final three plate appearances, including a go-ahead, two-run single with two outs in the top of the seventh.
Western Division Co-Athlete of the Week
Jakob Haynes
Seton Hill
Designated Hitter
Sophomore
Claridge, Pa. / Penn Trafford
Haynes hit .474 (9-for-19) in five games for the Griffins as they went 5-0 with a win over Shippersburg and a four-game sweep of IUP. Haynes scored eight runs and added two doubles, four homers and nine RBIs. Haynes went 4-5 with three homers and six RBIs in the game two win at IUP.
Western Division Pitcher of the Week
Nate Malak
Slippery Rock
Pitcher
Junior
Cranberry Township, Pa. / Seneca Valley
Malak was the only pitcher in the PSAC West to throw a complete-game shutout last week. Malak produced his best collegiate performance to date in game one of The Rock’s four-game sweep of Pitt-Johnstown. The junior hurler matched a career-high with 9 strikeouts while scattering four hits and just one walk over seven innings as part of a 1-0 victory. Malak allowed just one hit over the final four innings on the way to his third win of 2025.