Crank was a thorn in the side for opposing pitching as the switch-hitting middle infielder scored often and seemingly was on base at will against the six Pioneers’ opponents.
In six games, Crank hit .500 (10-for-20) while scoring 11 runs and recording seven RBI. He also legged out seven doubles (six on the same day), drew five walks and reached base three more times after being hit by pitches.
His on-base percentage was at .643 for the week and led all players from the North Division.
Against Lewis, Crank was 4-for-5 at the plate with three doubles, two RBI and two runs scored. He followed with three more doubles in the same day against West Virginia Wesleyan and played two more runs.
Crank recorded three doubles in back-to-back games, the first time a player has done so in league history. The single-game conference record for doubles is four held by Kentucky Wesleyan’s Johnathan Eberhardt back in 2014. Three doubles in a game have been swatted eight times, including three times this year with KWC’s Cody Bridges being the other.
Crank is the son of Malone head coach Tom Crank. Tom’s other son, Jon, also played on the Pioneers’ baseball team as a third baseman and finished his senior season in the spring of 2016.
Crank is currently hitting .404 in 15 games. He has 19 hits in 47 at-bats and recorded all of his extra-base hits this past week.