Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5324

Mar. 30, 2026 - Becoming just the second baseball player in College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin history and the first since 2005 to earn both Hitter and Pitcher of the Week honors in the same season, North Central College baseball studend-athlete Payton Diaz has been named the CCIW Pitcher of the Week following his complete game shutout in the Cardinals' 11-0 win over Carroll University.

Diaz worked eight scoreless innings Wednesday, striking out eight without issuing a walk or hit batter against 30 batters faced. He improved to 2-1 on the season. He also started at first base in the Cardinals' other three league games last week, hitting .462 with five runs scored, five RBI and a double.

Diaz joins Rob Daggett of Elmhurst University in 2005 as the only CCIW baseball student-athletes to earn both hitter and pitcher weekly awards in the same season. Seven players in conference history have collected both honors in a career, with Diaz being the first Cardinal to do so.

North Central's game at Millikin University has been moved up 24 hours to avoid potential rain in Decatur. First pitch at Workman Family Field is scheduled for Tuesday, March 31 at 6 p.m.