Nevada’s Keaton Smith named NCBWA National Player of the Week

Senior infielder Keaton Smith was named to the National College Baseball Writers Association National Player of the Week after his hot bat carried the Wolf Pack past the No. 2 Oregon State Beavers on April 22-23.

Smith is the only player from the Mountain West Conference to receive this reward from the NCBWA this season. The NCBWA Board reviews candidates from each Division 1 conference every week and names winers each Tuesday throughout the college baseball season.

Smith batted .667 with homer, triple and three RBIs in the two-game series against the Beavers. His 10th inning solo shot over the left field wall walked it off for Nevada 7-6 to clinch the series sweep.

He was cooled down by an ice bath from his teammates crossing home plate.

“I had a lot of good input from my teammates telling me what to look at,” Smith said. “I was just ready to go and got a good pitch. It was a rush of emotions.”

Smith was the first player in Nevada history to hit for the cycle against the Air Force Falcons on April 28. He’s scored at least one run in all five games dating back to April 22, and he’s recorded at least three hits in four of the five games.

The senior infielder’s hot week at the plate has bumped his batting average up to .248 on the season. He was batting just .156 on the year before the OSU series.

Smith and the Pack will host the Fresno State Bulldogs on May 3 to conclude a four-game homestand.