SCHMIDT TAPPED AS NJCAA NATIONAL POTW

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

Zane Schmidt's three-home run game last week against Garden City continues to reverberate as the Hutchinson Community College freshman designated hitter was named the NJCAA Division I National Player of the Week on Wednesday.

Schmidt, a 5-foot-10, 175-pound freshman from Kearney Catholic High School in Kearney, Nebraska is the first Blue Dragon to receive NJCAA national honors since Wyatt Divis on April 18, 2018.

Last Thursday in Game 1 of a four-game Jayhawk West series against Garden City at Hobart-Detter Field, Schmidt hit three home runs and racked up six RBIs in a 3 for 5 performance. Schmidt's third homer of the game, a two-run shot to right-center field capped a three-run last at-bat comeback in a 9-8 walk-off victory for Hutchinson.

Schmidt's three home runs tied the Hutchinson single-game record for home runs with former National Player of the Year Michael Helman, who first hit three home runs in a game on May 7, 2016. Schmidt's six RBIs tied for the fifth most in Hutchinson single-game history.

Schmidt's first home run was a three-run clout and his second was a solo shot. Ironically, Schmidt's first two at-bats were both called third strikes and prompted a quick one-on-one meeting with head coach Ryan Schmidt.

For the week, Schmidt was 8 for 20 with four home runs and eight RBIs in a 3-2 week for the Blue Dragons. On Tuesday, Schmidt became the second Blue Dragon to earn Jayhawk Conference Player of the Week honors.

Schmidt is currently leading the Blue Dragons with a .383 batting average. His 13 home runs for the season lead the Jayhawk Conference and his 36 runs batted in are currently third in the KJCCC.