LSUS' Sanchez and TAMUV's Zeplin honored with RRAC Baseball Player and Pitcher of the Week awards

WACO, Texas (Feb. 2, 2026) – (1) LSU Shreveport's Carlos Sanchez has captured the RRAC Baseball Player of the Week award, while (20) Texas A&M-Victoria's Blane Zeplin wins Pitcher of the Week honors for the week of Jan. 26-Feb. 1. This is the second set of weekly winners for the 2026 RRAC baseball season.

RRAC Baseball Player of the Week – Carlos Sanchez – (1) LSU Shreveport

Junior Carlos Sanchez went 9-for-18 in the Pilots' 4-0 series with (4) Hope International (Calif.). He also scored four runs, hit a double and three triples, and tallied seven RBIs. Sanchez finished with five stolen bases in his four games. He recorded a .500 batting average, .526 OBP, and .889 slugging average. Results for the week were 9-8, 5-2, 19-8, and 2-1.

Sanchez is playing in his first season with (1) LSUS after transferring from Florida Southwestern State. He is a native of Maracaibo, Venezuela.

The NAIA's defending national champions were unanimously selected first in the NAIA Preseason Poll. They became the first team in college baseball history at any level to finish an undefeated season. They marked a 59-0 campaign and a 30-0 conference record. So far this season, the Pilots are 6-0 but had a bit of a scare as they snuck by fourth-ranked Hope International with a go-ahead run in the eighth inning late last night to seal the 2-1 win.

Additional RRAC baseball players of the week nominees: Fischer Einkauf from LSU Alexandria, Antonio Benitez from (20) Texas A&M-Victoria, Caleb Brown from Louisiana Christian, Drew Saucedo from Our Lady of the Lake (Texas), Tanner Duncan from Texas A&M-Texarkana

RRAC Baseball Pitcher of the Week – Blane Zeplin – (20) Texas A&M-Victoria

Senior RHP Blane Zeplin turned in a career performance on Saturday to help the Jaguars to a 9-2 win and eventually a series sweep over Wiley (Texas). The Victoria, Texas, native struck out a career-high 10 batters while allowing just one run on one hit and three walks in six innings of work. Along with Zeplin's 9-2 win, the Jaguars defeated Wiley 5-2 and won in extra innings 7-6.

Zeplin is playing in his first season with the Jaguars after transferring from Stephen F. Austin State (Texas).

TAMUV has been ranked No. 20 in the NAIA Preseason Poll after going 38-17 last year and setting the new program record for wins in a single season. The Jaguars reached the NAIA Opening Round and finished second in the RRAC with a 22-8 record.

The Jaguars are 5-1 overall this season.

Additional RRAC baseball pitchers of the week nominees: Zac Collins from LSUA, Colton Williams from LCU, Donovan Gamez from OLLU, Robert Lastra from (1) LSUS, Alejandro Santos III from TAMUT

RRAC Notebook:

• LSUA freshman first-baseman Fischer Einkauf drove in four runs against John Melvin (La.), and he had the only two hits and RBIs against JMU on Jan. 30. The Generals lost 8-7 and 14-2.
• (20) TAMUV junior infielder Antonio Benitez continued his hot start to the season, going 6-for-15 with six RBIs, six stolen bases, and four runs scored. Because of that, the Jaguars extended their winning streak to five games after winning all four games against Huston-Tillotson (Texas) (13-8) and Wiley (Texas) (5-2, 9-2, 7-6) last week. The Carolina, Puerto Rico, native is tied for second in the NAIA in stolen bases with eight through six games.
• LCU Infielder Caleb Brown got at least one hit in all four games against Mobile (Ala.). He is on a five-game hit streak. Two of his six hits in the series against the Rams went for doubles. He knocked in one run and scored three times, and he had a pair of base hits in both of Thursday's games, while both of his extra-base hits came on Friday. The scores last week were 9-4, 2-1, 11-3, 0-3).
• OLLU Drew Saucedo went 5-for-7 in his team's opening doubleheader, recording a 4-2 win and 1-3 loss. He added two RBIs and four putouts.
• TAMUT pitcher Tanner Duncan went 1-4, scoring a home run and adding two RBIs as his team defeated Crowley's Ridge (Ark.) 16-3.
• LSUA freshman LHP Zac Collins allowed just one hit and one walk, as he struck out one in his team's 14-2 loss to John Melvin (La.).
• In game one of Thursday's doubleheader against Mobile (Ala.), LCU RHP Colton Williams came on with two runners on and one out and ended any hopes of a Rams comeback by inducing a fly out and then struck out the final batter to end the rally and preserve the win, even with it being outside of a save situation. Later that day, in the second game of the doubleheader, he came on to throw both extra innings, as the scheduled seven-inning contest went nine, keeping the Rams off the board long enough for the Wildcats to get the walk-off win in the bottom of the ninth. He faced a total of 10 batters in the two games, striking out three of them and walking two while not giving up a run, either inherited or his own.
• OLLU senior RHP Donovan Gamez earned the 4-2 win over Wayland Baptist (Texas). He pitched five innings, allowing four hits, two runs, and four walks, while striking out six.
• (1) LSUS senior RHP Robert Lastra pitched in two of the Pilots' four victories over (4) Hope International (Calif.) over the weekend. He earned the win in game two on Sunday. Lastra pitched five innings while allowing two hits, walking two and striking out four. His k/9 was 7.20, and his WHIP was .80.
• TAMUT junior LHP Alejandro Santos III earned his team's 16-3 win over Crowley's Ridge (Ark.). He allowed one hit and three walks while striking out six.

2025-26 RRAC Baseball Weekly Selections:

This week in the RRAC: