Malkuch and Scott Earn Player and Pitcher of the Week Honors Again

BILLINGS, Mont. – For the second consecutive week, Montana State Billings baseball players, Stefan Malkuch and Steve Scott, have been named Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively.  Scott shares the honor with Central Washington’s Derek Shoemaker.

Malkuch, a senior outfielder and pitcher from Kalispell, Mont., went 7 for 15 from the plate as MSUB won three of four games at Central Washington this past weekend.  He batted .467 and tallied four RBI and scored two runs.  Malkuch reached base 50 percent of his plate appearances and eight putouts and one assist in nine attempts as well in the field. He also saw action on the mound as he went two scoreless innings in relief earning his first career save and third save for the Yellowjackets this season in a 4-2 win Friday over the Wildcats.

Scott, a senior pitcher from Billings, closed the series with a complete game shutout in an 8-0 win in the nightcap on Saturday.  Scott scattered six hits and had four strikeouts with no walks to earn the victory.  It was the first shutout win for MSUB since a 6-0 win at Oklahoma Panhandle State, Mar. 10, 2007.  Scott improved to 3-1 on the year and dropped his ERA to 2.95 with the shutout.  In his last three starts, Scott has pitched 19 innings, allowing 10 hits and two runs with just one being earned.

Shoemaker helped lead Central Washington to a series-opening 2-0 win over MSUB Friday.  He went nine innings, allowing 10 hits, three walks and had a game-high 11 strikeouts for the shutout.

MSUB now has won or shared Player or Pitcher of the Week honors for three straight weeks.  Junior Brian Dukart won the Player of the Week award Mar. 3 for his efforts at Grand Canyon as MSUB won three of four games against the ‘Lopes.  Since that series, MSUB has gone 12-4 and 7-1 in conference play.

The Yellowjackets complete their 28-game road trip to begin the season Mar. 21-22 with a pair of doubleheaders at Saint Martin’s.  The Yellowjackets open the home slate Mar. 31 with a doubleheader versus Colorado Christian at Dehler Park.  First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. versus CCU.