Blake Klassen, UC Santa Barbara  Baseball Field Player of the Week  Junior • Designated Hitter • Rancho Mission Viejo, Calif.

• Blake Klassen led now-25th-ranked UC Santa Barbara to a huge sweep at previously-second-placed Cal Poly over the weekend as the Gauchos have now built a six-game cushion atop The Big West standings.
• For the week, which began with a 13-7 loss at USC on Tuesday night, Klassen batted .500 (9-for-18) and slugged 1.000 with six runs, a double, triple, two home runs, five RBI, two walks and a steal. The first-year Gaucho who was at Arizona in 2020 and Eastern Oklahoma State College in 2021, had multiple hits in all three meetings with Cal Poly.
• Klassen went 3-for-6 with two home runs, three runs, four RBI and a stolen base in Friday night’s series-opening 10-7 triumph in 11 innings. It was his second game this season with two home runs and four RBI. His RBI single opened the scoring in the second, with his second long ball, a solo effort to lead off the 11th, accounting for the winning tally.
• Klassen singled to open the ninth and came around to score what would prove to be the winning run as the Gauchos broke a 3-3 tie with a four-run frame and completed the sweep Sunday.
• Eight of Klassen’s nine home runs and 13 of his 19 RBI came over a 10-game span from April 10-29. UCSB (30-10, 19-2 Big West) has still yet to lose a series all year, with four consecutive Big West sweeps.
• Klassen is a first-time Big West Field Player of the Week, and the first Gaucho chosen in 2022. He has had two teammates, Cory Lewis (Feb. 28) and Ryan Gallagher (April 11), picked for the pitcher award. Klassen is UCSB’s first field honoree since current teammate Broc Mortensen on March 22, 2021.

Also nominated: Michael Fuhrman (UC San Diego), Joey Kramer (CSUN), AJ Miller (CSU Bakersfield), Stone Miyao (Hawai’i), Eddie Saldivar (Long Beach State)

Marques Johnson, Long Beach State Baseball Pitcher of the Week  Junior • RHP • Hemet, Calif.

• Marques Johnson produced the best and longest outing of his major college career in Saturday’s 4-0 home win over UC Irvine, combining with preseason All-American teammate Devereaux Harrison on a four-hit shutout. The result clinched a Black and Blue Rivalry Series victory for the Dirtbags, after they had taken a 6-2 decision in Friday’s opener.
• The junior right-hander out of Hemet and second-year Dirtbag out of Riverside City College tossed seven scoreless innings with six strikeouts. He allowed five base-runners, with two singles and three walks. Two of them reached second base. Johnson faced four batters over the minimum.
• Johnson did not pick up the decision following his 102-pitch outing, as Long Beach State scored all four runs in the eighth. He caught his very first batter of the afternoon looking and proceeded to produce 1-2-3 frames in the first, fourth and sixth. Johnson twice worked around leadoff singles, and navigated a leadoff walk in his final inning with two swinging strikeouts around a sacrifice bunt.
• Saturday’s start lowered Johnson’s ERA from 4.18 down to a season-best 3.43.
• Johnson is a first-time Big West Pitcher of the Week. He is the second Dirtbag hurler to be so honored in 2022, as fellow right-hander Luis Ramirez is a two-time selection (Feb. 21 and March 21). LBSU has also had a pair of field players recognized.

Also nominated: Jaykob Acosta (CSU Bakersfield), Matt Ager (UC Santa Barbara), Lucas Braun (CSUN), Ryan Forcucci (UC San Diego), Blaze Koali’i Pontes (Hawai'i)

2022 Big West Weekly Award Winners