Chicago, Ill. – July 16, 2018 – The Midwest Collegiate League has announced its weekly award winners for the week of July 9-15, with a pair of Northwest Indiana Oilmen receiving recognition for their noteworthy performances.

Connor Spear (UW Whitewater / Highland, Ind.) gained MCL Pitcher of the Week recognition, while shortstop Jake Plastiak (Wichita State / Tinley Park) was honored as the league’s Player of the Week.

Spear was heroic out of the Oilmen bullpen, allowing just one run on two hits over 7 1/3 innings. He made three relief appearances in a four-day span, culminating with four shutout innings against first-place DuPage County on Friday night. He struck out six Hounds, earning the win as his outing set up the Oilmen for a walk-off victory.

Plastiak crushed the aforementioned walk-off hit in the 4-3 win over the Hounds to cap a strong week leading into the All-Star Break. He belted two home runs, scored six runs and drove in eight over four games, helping the Oilmen close the week with three straight wins. Plastiak had two hits at Joliet on Tuesday before enjoying a three-hit day as the Oilmen pounded Southland 20-3 on Thursday, a game that saw the Oilmen match the team record for hits and shatter the franchise watermark for margin of victory.

A 2018 San Diego Padres draft pick, Plastiak is hitting .319 with three home runs and 21`RBIs this season. The Oilmen have now won three Player of the Week awards and two Pitcher of the Week awards in 2018.  

2018 MCL Players of the Week
June 5 – Stephen Mogged, DuPage County
June 11 – Jeremiah Lebron, Joliet
June 18 – Nick Figus, Northwest Indiana
June 25 – Nate Montgomery, Northwest Indiana
July 2 – David Giuliano, DuPage County
July 9 – Billy Mote, Bloomington 
July 16 – Jake Plastiak, Northwest Indiana

2018 MCL Pitchers of the Week
June 5 – Clifton Slagel, Bloomington
June 11 – Gil Loza, Southland
June 18 – Justin Rios, Southland
June 25 – Justin Ruthrauff, Southland
July 2 – Christian Howell, Northwest Indiana
July 9 – Quinn Gudaitis, Bloomington
July 16 – Connor Spear, Northwest Indiana