SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University senior first baseman Kyle Stalker (Bellevue, WA/Sammamish HS) had an outstanding series on the road against Whitman College, April 4-5, and has been chosen Northwest Conference Baseball Player Student-Athlete of the Week. Stalker was 7 of 14 and drove in 12 runs in the four games. Along the way, he set a Willamette record with 143 career RBIs.
Willamette swept all four games in the series. The Bearcats won 13-5 and 14-2 on Saturday, April 4. In the third game of the series on Sunday, April 5, Stalker hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning to tie the score, as WU rallied from a 9-0 deficit. He also scored a run in the first extra frame (8th inning) to help WU win, 11-9.
In the final game of the series, he went 4 for 4 with a three-run homer, a double and two runs scored, as the Bearcats prevailed, 15-6. He recorded seven RBIs and hit for three-fourths of the cycle (no triple) during the game.
Including two homers against Corban College on Tuesday, April 7, Stalker now has nine homers on the season. He also leads the Bearcats with a .470 batting average. He tops Willamette's all-time list with 45 career home runs.
The Bearcats will host their NWC rivals from the University of Puget Sound this weekend. Willamette and the Loggers will play two 9-inning games on Friday, April 10 and will conclude the series with a doubleheader of 7-inning games on Saturday, April 11. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. (PDT) each day.
Kyle Stalker leads the Bearcats with a .470 batting average and nine home runs this season.
