FRISCO, Texas – The Northwestern State duo of Jeffrey Elkins and Chase Prestwich won the Southland Baseball Player of the Week awards for the fifth week of the 2023 season, which were announced Monday by the conference office.

Hitter of the Week: Jeffrey Elkins, Northwestern State - Sr. - OF - Lafayette, La. (Ascension Episcopal HS)
Elkins had multi-hit games in all four of NSU's games this week and scored multiple runs in three of the four games. He hit a leadoff home run in Friday's win against Little Rock, which was NSU's second leadoff homer in as many games. Elkins had a career-best four hits in Friday's win and connected on his second homer of the series against Little Rock on Sunday to spark a three-run, ninth-inning rally with an RBI double.

Pitcher of the Week: Chase Prestwich, Northwestern State - So. - RHP - Frederick, Colo. (Frederick HS)
Prestwich earned two wins in his two appearances this week, first beating ULM for the second straight week, working five innings of one-run ball on a pitch count. He relieved Alex Makarewich in Saturday's game against Little Rock and struck out six batters in two scoreless innings to earn the win. Prestwich is tied for second in the Southland Conference in wins (4), is third in ERA (1.80) and ninth in strikeouts (32).
Honorable Mention: Will Kinzeler, Southeastern.
 
2023 Southland Baseball Players of the Week

Date	Hitter of the Week	Pitcher of the Week
Feb. 20	Tyler Finke, Southeastern	Grant Rogers, McNeese
Feb. 27	Ryan Snell, Lamar	Jacob Mayers, Nicholls
Mar. 6	Daunte Stuart, Northwestern State	Colin Purcell, A&M-Corpus Christi
Mar. 13	Jake Killingsworth, Southeastern	Cal Carver, Northwestern State
Mar. 20	Jeffrey Elkins, Northwestern State	Chase Prestwich, Northwestern State

Southland weekly award winners are nominated and voted upon by each school’s sports information director. Voting for one’s own athlete is not permitted. To earn honorable mention, a student-athlete must appear on 25 percent of ballots.