UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State outfielder Nick Riotto (Washington, Pa.) was named the Big Ten Baseball Player of the Week for the week of Apr. 4-10, the league office announced Monday, as the junior batted over .500 over five games.
For the week, Riotto went 12-for-22 (.545) with a .583 on-base percentage, home run, two doubles, eight runs scored and six RBIs. He had four-multi-hit games, including three three-hit games and is currently on a nine-game hitting streak on which he is batting .487 with a .523 OBP and 11 RBI.
Perhaps his most important performance came in Penn State's lone victory over Michigan State Sunday, as he accounted for five of the seven runs Penn State scored by crossing home plate three times and driving in two more. He reached base four times going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a hit by pitch, with the latter coming in the decisive bottom of the ninth, and he later scored the game-tying run.
To start the week, Riotto led the Nittany Lions at the plate in its biggest win of the season based on RPI, going 3-for-4 with a double and two runs against Pitt (No. 24 in RPI at the time). He then led the Nittany Lions at Lafayette the very next day going 3-for-5 with a home run, double, four RBIs, three runs and a walk. Additionally, he led Penn State in its first game against Michigan State Friday, registering two of the six hits PSU mustered in the game.
Riotto is the second Nittany Lion to earn the award this season, as freshman Willie Burger (Lancaster, Pa.) was recognized earlier in the season March 21.
Penn State will next host Bucknell in Medlar Field at Lubrano Park Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. It will be $1 dog night.
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