Junior Ryan Howell has earned his first Mountain West Player of the Week honor, the conference office announced Monday. The second basemen batted .500 with 11 hits, eight RBI and three home runs while leading the 28th-ranked Nevada baseball team to a 4-1 record on the week.
A native of Brentwood, Calif., Howell has emerged as one of the biggest bats in Division I this season after transferring from Chabot College. The 6-foot-2 slugger solidified that sentiment this week, batting .500 with a 1.000 slugging percentage and .542 on-base percentage in five games.
Howell led off the week with a massive performance against Pacific on Monday, March 3, hitting two home runs in Nevada's 13-12 extra innings victory. Howell went 4-of-5 at the plate with four RBI and three runs. He hit a home run the following day, leading Nevada to a 7-6 victory over UC Davis with a 2-of-4 effort, three RBI and one run scored.
In the Wolf Pack's two victories over rivals UNLV, Howell batted 5-of-9 with an RBI and run scored to lead a pair of comeback wins.
On the season, Howell is batting a team-best .434 with 23 hits, 23 RBI, 15 runs and six homers.
Howell and the Wolf Pack will return to action on Tuesday, playing UC Davis at the Dobbins Baseball Complex in Davis, Calif. First pitch is set for 2:30 p.m. PT.
Nevada Press Release
3/9/15
