NIACC's Mollett earns ICCAC pitcher of week honor
MASON CITY - NIACC's Jaiden Mollett was selected as the ICCAC Division II pitcher of the week for the week of May 1-7.
The right-handed sophomore from Chaska, Minn. tossed a complete-game three-hit shutout in a 10-0 shutout of Iowa Lakes on May 5 in Estherville.
Mollett struck out 13 and did not walk a batter in seven innings of work. It was the first complete game shutout for a NIACC pitcher since Connor Wietgrefe blanked Ellsworth 1-0 in the second game of a doubleheader on April 27, 2022.
The 13 strikeouts are the most in a game for a NIACC hurler since Thomas Gross struck out 12 in 2022.
In the last 10 seasons, only two NIACC pitchers have struck out more than 13 batters in a single game. Collin Kramer struck out 18 against Southwestern in 2021 and Tim Black struck out 16 against Madison (Wisc.) at the 2013 NJCAA Division II World Series.
Mollett is 3-2 with 1 save this season with 42 strikeouts and 18 walks in 29 2/3 innings pitched.
Mollett is the second pitcher and third Trojan to earn weekly honors from the ICCAC.
NIACC pitcher Ben Rosin was the league's pitcher of the week for the week of April 17-23 and John Doty was the league's player of the week for the week of April 3-9.
Fifth-seed NIACC opens play in the NJCAA Region 11 tournament at 11 a.m. Thursday against fourth-seed Northeast CC in West Burlington. The tournament is being played at Community Field, the home of the Burlington Bees.
