As the calendar flips to May, teams are scrambling for resume-boosting wins to strengthen their RPI ahead of tournament season. But this week, it was the underdogs who stole the spotlight, as mid-majors pulled off a series of statement upsets. Tuesday’s slate featured a wave of chaos, with Western Kentucky toppling Kentucky, UNC Wilmington taking down NC State, Liberty edging Virginia Tech, Illinois State upsetting Iowa, and Oregon knocking off in-state rival Oregon State in a top-25 showdown.

Meanwhile, some programs have already turned the page to next season, with the coaching carousel beginning to spin. Mississippi State made headlines by parting ways with longtime head coach Chris Lemonis, sparking immediate speculation about who might take over in Starkville.

But even amid the off-field movement and midweek box score chaos, the action on the diamond doesn’t slow down. Below are the top midweek performers who caught our eye as the season enters its final stretch.

Mid-Week Top Performers

Covered by Brian Switzer II “Switz”

Tuesday: 

Austin Nye, RHP, Vanderbilt (SEC) - 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R/ER, 2 BB, 6 K, Win (60 Pitches)

It’s not the same offensive-heavy Sycamores team we've seen in recent years, but that doesn’t take away from the impressive performance turned in by freshman Austin Nye. The right-hander delivered five shutout innings, scattering just three hits and striking out six to earn his second win of the spring. Nye continues to quietly build a strong first-year resume, now sporting a 1.83 ERA across 11 starts and 39.1 innings of work.

Brady Counsell, 3B, Kansas (Big 12) - 4 AB, 1 R, 2 H, 5 RBI, 1 HR, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 SB

The impressive down season the Tigers are doing is one for the record books with them being 12-31 on the season and still chasing their first win in the SEC this spring. However, on Tuesday, the Jayhawks joined the party of kicking them while they were down and adding fuel to the fire against their old Big 12 foe with a 9-3 dub. The difference maker in the contest was Brady at the plate with him raking up a career-high 5 RBIs in the contest and even sending a long ball in the bottom of the first for 3 runs. The month of April has been a good one for Counsell as seen below and the Jayhawks will need his hot bat to continue as they march forward with the Big 12 Tournament approaching. 

Slate Alford, OF, Georgia (SEC) - 5 AB, 2 R, 2 H, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 SB

Robbie Burnett, 2B/OF, Georgia (SEC) - 4 AB, 1 R, 1 H, 1 RBI, 1 HR, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 SB

Tre Phelps, 3B/OF, Georgia (SEC) - 5 AB, 1 R, 3 H, 0 RBI, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 SB

Daniel Jackson, C, Georgia (SEC) - 1 AB, 2 R, 1 H, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 0 K, 2 SB

It hasn’t exactly been fair competition in these in-state matchups, and Tuesday was no different as the Bulldogs rolled past Kennesaw State, 9–2, improving to 36–11 on the year. It was a team-wide effort at the plate, with the top of the lineup doing most of the damage. Senior Slate Alford extended his on-base streak to 30 games with a two-RBI double in the second inning, while fellow senior Robbie Burnett crushed his SEC-leading 19th home run of the season, a solo shot in the sixth. Burnett now sits tied for second in the NCAA in home runs, as Georgia continues to mash with a nation-leading 113 homers as a team. The Dawgs have lost a little of their offensive mojo in the last few weeks but, this could be the contest the doctor ordered to get their offense back in shape for the final push of the regular season.