Kelby ZendejasAfter a devastating weekend loss to Mississippi State, pitcher Doug Nikhazy earned SEC Pitcher of the Week and National Player of the Week. The Rebels finished the weekend series against the Bulldogs with a 7-5 loss on Sunday, however, Nikhazy’s stellar performance on Saturday earned the junior weekly honors.
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On Saturday, Nikhazy’s performance helped with the 9-0 shutout against the No. 3 Bulldogs, as the Florida-native walked two and struck out 12. The pitcher didn’t allow a Bulldog runner past first base, putting forth “one of the best pitching performances in Ole Miss baseball history,” according to Ole Miss Athletics.
Other notable statistics from his performance include Nikhazy becoming the first Rebel to throw a one-hitter since alumni Adam Yates’ one-hit game during the seven-inning Southeastern Louisiana game in 2001. The pitcher tied in strikeouts for a career-high of 12 and also set a new best in the league.
Nikhazy stood on the mound for the entire game, making this his first complete game in his career. He is the first Rebel to throw a nine-inning game since alumni Chrisitan Trent in 2014.
Nikhazy will join senior Tim Elko as the second Rebel baseball player this season to earn the Collegiate Baseball award and is the first Rebel to earn the SEC honor. This award for Nikhazy is the fourth SEC weekly honor this season and is the junior’s fourth SEC weekly honor in his career. He earned SEC Freshman of the Week twice in 2019 and Pitcher of the Week in 2020.
The Rebels are back in action on Tuesday, April 20 at 6:30 p.m. to take on Little Rock for a midweek matchup before playing LSU in a weekend series.
