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April 21, 2009
After an eight-game stretch in which opposing pitchers had a difficult time keeping him off the bases, IUP junior T.J. Nichols has been selected the PSAC West Player of the Week, the first time this season a Crimson Hawk has received the conference weekly award. Nichols had 16 hits in 27 official at bats for a robust .593 average. He hit safely in each of his eight games, including six multiple hit efforts, scored 15 runs and drove in 13. He had a double and three home runs among his 16 hits, drew four walks and fielded 33 chances without an error. In a doubleheader sweep of PSAC West leading California last Monday, Nichols went 5-for-7 with five runs scored and eight RBIs. He drove in five runs in a 23-6 win in the first game and then homered and knocked in three in a 5-4 victory in the nightcap. Nichols also had eight hits in 14 at bats with two homers and five RBIs in a four-game split with Gannon, including a 3-for-4 performance with a homer in a 13-2 win that wrapped up the series. For the week he had an on-base percentage of .606 and a slugging percentage of .963. Nichols raised his season batting average to .467 which ranks him second in the PSAC and 13th in the nation. He is also 10th in the conference with 43 RBIs and is tied for second in the country with seven sacrifice flies. Nichols leads IUP with 12 doubles and 57 hits and is second with four home runs and 34 runs scored. A member of the All-PSAC West second team last year, the versatile Nichols has seen action behind the plate and in the outfield this season. In his three-year career, he has played in 115 games with 112 starts and has a batting average of .409 (153-for-374) with 20 doubles, four triples, 10 home runs, 92 runs scored and 91 RBIs. His career batting average is the highest in school history, .008 ahead of former IUP standout Steve Murray, who played from 1995-98. Nichols also ranks among the top 10 in school history in career runs scored, RBIs, hits, total bases and slugging percentage. The Crimson Hawks are 20-22 on the season and finished PSAC West play with an 11-13 division record. IUP needs Lock Haven to lose three of four games to Gannon this weekend to advance to the PSAC playoffs. The Crimson Hawks finish the regular season this weekend with home doubleheaders at home versus Columbia Union Friday and Bloomsburg Saturday and a twinbill at Bloomsburg Sunday. All three begin at 1 p.m., and IUP will honor its senior class between games Saturday. |
