5/17/2010 10:04:58 AM
Irvine, CA—UC Riverside center fielder Tony Nix did his best Babe Ruth impersonation this week, hitting .654 with nine extra base hits, 11 runs scored, 15 RBIs, 33 total bases and a 1.269 slugging percentage, which earned the Poway, CA native the Big West Conference Baseball Player of the Week Award.
Nix's week began on Tuesday, May 11 as the Highlanders picked up an 11-7 win over visiting UNLV. Nix went two for four on the night with a double and a home run, scoring a pair of runs and driving in a career-high five including the game winner.
The next day, UC Riverside completed two rained-out games with Loyola Marymount. In the afternoon contest, Nix went three for four with two doubles and a triple, scoring two runs and driving in three. It wasn't enough for the Highlanders to close an early 7-0 deficit, however, as the Lions won 11-10.
The junior continued his hot hitting in the nightcap as he set a UCR Division I era record, and tied the school's all-time mark, by recording six hits in the game from the lead off spot. Two of those hits were doubles, and he came around to score three times including the game winner in a 16-6 Highlanders win.
Cal State Northridge came to town over the weekend as UC Riverside tried to climb closer to the top of the Big West Conference Standings, and the Highlanders never trailed in any of their three wins over the Matadors.
On Friday, Nix went two for five with his second five-RBI game of the week, hitting a grand slam in the first inning and scoring a pair of runs as the Highlanders won 13-5. He also stole a pair of bases and extended his streak of consecutive at bats with a hit to nine.
Saturday's game was more of a pitcher's dual, ending with a 4-1 UC Riverside win, but Nix went two for three in that game as well.
He finished out his record-setting week by going two for four with two runs while hitting his third home run in six games and fifth in his last 10.
On the week, Nix raised his batting average from .266 to .341, doubled his season RBI output from 15 to 30, increased his total bases from 51 to 84, increased his extra base hits from 13 to 22 and increased his slugging percentage from .468 to .622.
With their three wins in conference over the weekend, the Highlanders also moved to within one game of third place Pacific and two of second place UC Irvine. UC Riverside travels to UC Irvine for a three-game series this weekend beginning Friday, May 21 at 6 pm PT.