After collecting at least one hit in all of his team’s six games so far this season, NIU senior outfielder Brian Toner took home the MAC West Player of the Week award.

In the three-game Dunn Hospitality Diamond Classic Championship over the weekend, Toner had a .429 batting average with six hits and four RBIs. Toner leads the team in batting average, hits, RBIs, total bases and slugging percentage.

“It’s a great honor to be recognized by the conference for individual performance, though it wasn’t something I was thinking about,” Toner said. “I went out this weekend trying to do what I could for the team. I felt relaxed at the plate and sometimes you just get hot.”

Spreading the celebration

Five months after the White Sox won their first World Series title since 1917, the trophy will make an appearance in DeKalb.

The World Series trophy will be on display at 5 p.m. Saturday at the Barsema Alumni and Visitors Center.

“This tour is a big ‘thank you’ to White Sox fans across the city of Chicago and the entire state of Illinois,” White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a press release.

The tour gives fans the opportunity to have their picture taken with the trophy

Getting their bowl on

NIU athletics will hold a Bowl for Kids’ Sake event at 6 p.m. Friday at Mardi Gras Lanes, 1730 Sycamore Road.

The teams will be made of NIU athletes and each team of six people or more will have to raise a minimum of $85 to participate. The teams will bowl one game each.

Teams participating in the proceedings include gymnastics, men’s soccer, women’s golf, an administration team and the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, among others.

Making her pitch

Thanks to a 17-inning scoreless streak, NIU softball pitcher Lindsey LaChiana won this week’s MAC West Pitcher of the Week.

In the trio of games at Bradley University’s Dragon’s Dome Invitational, LaChiana was 2-0 with 15 strikeouts and a 1.50 ERA in 18 innings of action. The junior pitcher threw a complete game shutout against IUPUI with six strikeouts.

“This is an outstanding start for Lindsey,” said NIU coach Donna Martin. “As her weekend went on, she really stepped it up. This is a good thing not only for Lindsey but also for her teammates because they played a role in her success as well.”

Southern hospitality

Despite Nick Schenk’s third place finish, the NIU men’s golf team finished in ninth place Tuesday at the 15-team Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate Tournament at Hilton Head Island, S.C.

South Carolina won the team title with a score of 900, while Eastern Michigan’s Korey Mahoney took first place individually with a score of 215.

Schenk started with a rocky 79 in the first round, but rebounded well with rounds of 72 and 73 to finish nine shots off the leader. Teammate Zach Jecklin finished in 22nd place. NIU as a team shot 924 during the 54-hole tournament.

“I am a little disappointed with the finish,” said NIU coach John Cleary. “We had a chance to finish in the top-five, but let a few strokes get away from us at the end of the day. Overall, to come down here and play respectfully is good. This was a tough course and I think we got off to a good start for the spring season.”