LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference announced its 10th set of Baseball Athletes of the Week. In the East, West Chester's Austin Stalker was named Athlete of the Week while East Stroudsburg's Ethan Woods (Pitcher of the Week) was also selected. In the West, Slippery Rock's Michael Kitko (Athlete) and Clarion's Luke Pietrandrea (Pitcher) earned the honors.
Eastern Division Athlete of the Week
Austin Stalker
West Chester
First Base
Senior
Wycombe, Pa. / Council Rock North
Stalker was an outstanding 9-for-16 (.563) at the plate for West Chester this week with five extra-base hits, including three home runs and 11 RBIs, along with 10 runs scored. Stalker started his week with a 1-for-3 effort against Goldey-Beacom with a run scored and a pair of RBIs. On Friday against Shepherd, Stalker was 2-for-5 with a pair of runs and an RBI, along with a walk, in a doubleheader sweep of the Rams. On Saturday in West Virginia, Stalker was 6-for-10 with eight RBIs and six runs scored, including three home runs and a double as the Golden Rams swept their first PSAC East series of the season.
Eastern Division Pitcher of the Week
Ethan Woods
East Stroudsburg
Starting Pitcher
Senior
Hummelstown, Pa. / Lower Dauphin
Woods shut down the potent Shippensburg lineup in ESU’s Friday shutout win over the Raiders, throwing five scoreless innings. The Raiders recorded only three hits against him, as Woods struck out four and did not walk a batter. He did this against the most explosive lineup in the conference, as Shippensburg entered the weekend leading the PSAC in both batting average and OPS. Woods held the Raiders to their second scoreless game of the season, their first in PSAC East play.
Western Division Athlete of the Week
Michael Kitko
Slippery Rock
Outfielder/Designated Hitter
Senior
Houtzdale, Pa. / Moshannon Valley
Kitko was dominant at the plate while leading Slippery Rock to a 4-1 record last week. In 5 games - a non-conference win at Walsh and a 3-1 4-game PSAC West series victory vs. Lock Haven – Kitko hit .737 (14-for-19) with a .783 on-base percentage and a 1.105 slugging percentage to go with four runs scored, two home runs and 10 RBIs. Kitko had multiple hits in four of SRU’s five games with the highlights being a 5-for-5 performance in The Rock’s 11-8 victory at Lock Haven (a game he also earned the win on the mound in) as well as a 4-for-4, one home run, four RBI showing at Walsh. Kitko is the only PSAC West athlete to log a 5-hit game in the last two seasons.
Western Division Pitcher of the Week
Luke Pietrandrea
Clarion
Pitcher
Junior
Woodbridge, Va. / Woodbridge
Pietrandrea threw a 94-pitch complete game in a big spot on Friday, leading the Golden Eagles to an 11-1 win over IUP at Pullman Park on Friday. Pietrandrea tossed seven innings of one-run ball against the Crimson Hawks, whiffing seven and issuing just one walk as Clarion swept a doubleheader at home with IUP, which sits fourth in the Western Division standings with an 11-9 conference record.