By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University first baseman Nick Di Fiori (Jr., Monrovia, CA/Bishop Amat HS) has been named Northwest Conference Baseball Position Player Student-Athlete of the Week for his efforts against the University of Puget Sound in two games on Saturday, Feb. 22 and one game on Sunday, Feb. 23. The Bearcats won two of the three games in the series, which opened NWC play for both teams. Willamette earned victories of 7-6 and 17-9 in the first two games, before falling to the Loggers 11-7 in the third game.

During the series, Di Fiori batted .636 (7 of 11) while scoring two runs and earning eight RBIs. He had at least one hit in all three games, including two three-hit games. He broke a 5-5 tie in the seventh inning of the first game with a two-run single near the right field line. He pounded out a double in the second game and hit a triple in the third game.

Di Fiori drove in at least two runs in each game of the series and had four RBIs in the second game. He achieved a .909 slugging percentage during the week. On defense, he provided 18 putouts at first base with no errors.

Willamette is 5-5 on the season and 2-1 in the NWC. The Bearcats will play Lewis & Clark College in a three-game series this weekend in Portland, Oregon, starting with a doubleheader at 11 a.m. (PST) on Saturday, Feb. 29. The Bearcats and Pioneers will complete the series with a single game on Sunday, March 1 at 12 p.m.