LCSC’s Mills is named the NAIA’s Player of the Week

4-18-07 

Lewis-Clark State College junior third baseman Beau Mills has been named the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ National Baseball Player of the week, the organization announced Wednesday. 

Mills led the Warriors to a 3-0 record last week in play that wrapped up Sunday. The Warriors actually swept a four-game series from Concordia, but the fourth game came on Monday. Player of the Week nominations use statistics on games from Monday-Sunday each week. 

In the three victories over Concordia last week, Mills hit .667 and drove in eight runs. He also tied a school record for the second time this season by belting three home runs in one game. That marked the first time an LCSC player has accomplished that feat twice in his career. 

Mills, who has a 17-game hit streak and 21 home runs on the season, opened last week with a 2-for-4 performance at the plate. He hit a double and a home run in the Warriors’ 10-4 win, and also drove in three runs. 

The junior from Visilia, Calif., went 3-for-3 with three home runs, two walks and three runs scored in the Warriors’ 9-3 win in the first game of a doubleheader last Sunday. In the second game, he went 1-for-2 with a double and a walk, and he scored twice as the Warriors won again 9-3.

Mills finished the week with a 2.222 slugging percentage, going 6-for-9 at the plate with eight RBI in three games. He also finished with four home runs, two doubles and six runs scored.

Mills is the fifth LCSC baseball player to earn national Player of the Week honors. The other four were Mark Dow in 1991, Todd Wilson and Jack Gullard in 1994, and Clint Cameron in 1998.

Other nominees for the award included Andrew Van Byssum, Trinity Christian (Ill.); Brandon Riker, Spalding (Ky.); Kerry Gorley, Lindsey Wilson (Ky.); Thomas Englehardt, Fisher (Mass.); Brian Joynt, Oklahoma City; Coleman Hardie, Loyola (La.); Colin Gray, Embry-Riddle (Fla.); Mike Bruno, Geneva (Pa.); Michael Younghanz, Park (Mo.); Jake Roy, Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.); Andy Reilly, Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.); Jon Schaible, Spring Arbor (Mich.); and Jack Kopacz, Missouri Baptist.