PBL Players of the Week (Week 12)

PBL Players of the Week (Week of 8/8/2022)

North Batter: Nick Gatewood, IF, Missoula

Much like his team, Nick Gatewood went on a tear at the plate this week. He went 13-for-28 with two homers, two doubles, and 12 RBIs, helping the Paddleheads sweep six games from Boise. Gatewood went 3-for-3 with a homer and four RBIs on Wednesday, then followed that up with a 4-for-6 performance on Thursday. On Friday, Gatewood went 3-for-5 with five RBIs, including a three-run homer that capped a six-run second inning. The 25-year-old is now tied for eighth in the PBL in hits and ranks second in the league with 27 doubles.

North Pitcher: Kelvan Pilot, Billings

Kelvan Pilot takes home the North Pitcher of the Week honor for the third time this season, as he carved up the high-powered Idaho Falls offense. Pilot pitched 6 ⅔ innings, allowing six hits and just one unearned, walking one and striking out six. He earned his sixth win of the year, which ties him for second in the PBL.

South Batter: Luis Navarro, C, Rocky Mountain

Luis Navarro continued to impress this week, helping the Vibes earn a hard-fought series split with the Raptors. He went 11-for-19 with four doubles, two homers, and eight RBIs while drawing six walks without striking out once. Navarro enters this week riding a 10-game hitting streak and hasn’t struck out in his last eight games (39 plate appearances). Since joining the Vibes on June 22, Navarro has recorded at least one hit in 20 of the 32 games he’s appeared in, smacking 21 extra-base hits while drawing 28 walks against just 14 strikeouts.

South Pitcher: Izzy Fuentes, Grand Junction

Grand Junction didn’t let the Owlz score many runs this weekend, keeping them off the board for the last 21 innings, and Izzy Fuentes certainly had a hand in that. In Saturday’s 17-0 romp, Fuentes tossed all seven innings, allowing just five hits and two walks, striking out 10. Fuentes now ranks seventh in the PBL in strikeouts and has thrown at least six innings five times.