ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Indiana State's Mike Sears was named this week's Missouri Valley Baseball Player of the Week as the Sycamore slugging third baseman claimed the honor for the second time in the last three weeks.
 
Sears claimed Indiana State's ninth Missouri Valley weekly honor over the course of the 2024 season and third Player of the Week nod after previously being recognized back on May 6 following the weekend series against Belmont. Luis Hernandez (Mar. 25) also earned MVC Player of the Week recognition, while
Jacob Pruitt (Feb. 19), Brennyn Cutts (Mar. 11 & Apr. 15), Cam Edmonson (Mar. 25), Luke Hayden (Apr. 22), and Zach Davidson (May 13) all earned MVC Pitcher of the Week recognition in 2024.
 
Sears wasted little time in claiming the Missouri Valley home run title as the redshirt senior third baseman posted a pair of two-homer games while driving in 10 RBIs as Indiana State completed the weekend series sweep over Valparaiso. The Cincinnati, Ohio native hit .462 from the plate with four home runs and six runs scored, while posting a 1.462 slugging percentage over the three-game series.
 
Sears connected on a two-run home run in the top of the fourth inning in the first game of the series to give Indiana State the 4-1 lead, and then added his second two-run shot of the day in the top of the ninth to highlight ISU's 13-4 opening win over the Beacons.
 
He followed up the second game of the series with the key RBI double off the left field wall to tie the game up against Valparaiso sparking a stretch where ISU outscored the Beacons 7-1 in the 11-9 series clinching win on Saturday.
 
With Valparaiso rallying back in the Saturday finale, Sears made a 5-4 lead into an 8-4 lead with a three-run home run to right center in the top of the fifth inning. He added a solo shot in the sixth to cap his fifth multi-homer game of the 2024 season and added a double and a sacrifice fly to highlight a 3-for-3 performance at the plate with three runs scored and five RBIs.
 
He wrapped up the 2024 season leading the MVC with 23 home runs over the course of the year setting a new Indiana State single-season record in the process. His final home run over the weekend series against Valparaiso also established a new ISU all-time career mark with 49 home runs surpassing the previous total set by Boi Rodriguez (48, 1985-87).
 
Sears finished the regular season with a .287 batting average over 48 games played with 50 hits including 23 home runs and 15 doubles. He finished second in the MVC with 67 RBIs, while sitting among the conference leaders in slugging percentage (.782).
 
Indiana State opens the Missouri Valley Championships next week on Wednesday afternoon as the top-seeded Sycamores await their opponent in the 5 p.m. ET game time at German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium. The contest will be carried live on ESPN+ and 105.5 The Legend.
 
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