Golden Spikes Award 2021 Candidates

Sort By:
name
position
school

- Tanner Allen
- Outfielder, Mississippi State
- 2021
- 2021 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2021
- Tanner Allen
- Outfielder, Mississippi State
- Bats/Throws: L/R | Avg: .387 | H: 79 | R: 54 | HR: 8 | RBI: 53
- The SEC Player of the Year, Tanner Allen has been at his best against the best in college baseball, as the left-handed hitter leads the SEC in batting average overall (.395) and paced the conference in SEC-only games (.411). Allen produced 28 multi-hit games and 18 multi-RBI contests this season and reached base multiple times in 40 of 57 starts. The left-handed hitter also leads the SEC in hits (88) and is the only SEC hitter to rank among the top 10 in the conference in average, on-base and slugging percentage. Allen has reached base in 55 of 57 games on the season and is one of just four Power 5 hitters with 50 runs scored, 50 RBI and 80 hits in 2021. He has reached base multiple times in 36 games and struck out just 29 times. He ranks among the top 35 nationally in batting average (.395), hits (88), runs scored (59), RBI (58) and total bases (137). Allen produced 16 of his 28 multi-hit games in SEC play and led the conference in that category, along with 12 multi-RBI games – with just 13 strikeouts in conference play all season.
- Andrew Abbott
- Pitcher, Virginia
- 2021
- 2021 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2021
- Andrew Abbott
- Pitcher, Virginia
- Bats/Throws: L/L | IP: 81.2 | W-L: 7-5 | ERA: 2.87 | BB: 27 | SO: 126
- Virginia ace Andrew Abbott ranks third in the country with 142 strikeouts, the third most ever in a single season by a Cavalier pitcher. A First Team All-ACC selection, Abbott delivered down the stretch tossing 31 straight scoreless innings. He did not allow a run in four straight starts that featured 6.1 scoreless against top-seeded Notre Dame in the ACC Tournament. He had five starts in 2021 where he fanned 10 or more batters, including a career-high 16 batters in 7.1 innings of a combined no-hitter against Wake Forest. The left-hander entered the NCAA Tournament atop the ACC leaderboard in wins, ERA and strikeouts. One of the top relievers in the country prior to the 2021 season, Abbott converted to a starter and has compiled 307 career strikeouts in four seasons, only the second UVA pitcher ever to reach the 300 strikeout plateau.
- Colton Cowser
- Outfielder, Sam Houston
- 2021
- 2021 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2021
- Colton Cowser
- Outfielder, Sam Houston
- Bats/Throws: L/R | Avg: .357 | H: 65 | R: 52 | HR: 14 | RBI: 46
- Sam Houston State’s Colton Cowser backed up his slew of preseason accolades with one of the top seasons a Sam Houston Bearkat has ever put together in 2021. He started all 55 games for the Kats in center field and became just the second Sam Houston player to be named the Southland Conference Hitter of the Year after finishing the season with a .374 average, 16 home runs, 52 RBI and 61 runs scored. He added 10 doubles and two triples to go with 17 stolen bases, adding to his Player of the Year honor by also being named all-SLC first team and to the all-SLC defensive team. A member of Team USA in the summer of 2019, Cowser’s stock has soared in 2021, positioning him to possibly pass Glenn Wilson (18th overall in 1980) as the highest drafted Bearkat in program history this July.
- Henry Davis
- Catcher, Louisville
- 2021
- 2021 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2021
- Henry Davis
- Catcher, Louisville
- Bats/Throws: R/R | Avg: .366 | H: 63 | R: 42 | HR: 12 | RBI: 44
- A 2021 All-American and All-ACC selection, Louisville’s Henry Davis finished with a .370 batting average with 15 home runs and 48 RBI, while recording more walks than strikeouts. Through the regular season, Davis led the ACC in on-base percentage while ranking in the top 10 in the league in batting average, hits, home runs, runs, RBI, total bases and slugging percentage. Defensively, Davis controlled the opponents’ running game, throwing out better than 46 percent of potential base stealers.
- Tyler Hardman
- Infielder, Oklahoma
- 2021
- 2021 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2021
- Tyler Hardman
- Infielder, Oklahoma
- Bats/Throws: R/R | Avg: .403 | H: 87 | R: 49 | HR: 12 | RBI: 49
- Oklahoma’s Tyler Hardman put together one of the most impressive seasons of any player in the country in 2021. He ranks fourth nationally in hits (89), 12th in total bases (148), 15th in hits per game (1.62), 16th in batting average (.397) and 25th in doubles (19). He also compiled a .481 on-base percentage (51st nationally) and a .661 slugging percentage (59th nationally), 12 home runs, 49 RBIs and 49 runs scored. Hardman started all of OU’s 55 games this season and registered at least one hit in 47 contests, multiple hits in 29 outings and multiple RBI 15 times. He was a remarkably consistent hitter all year, maintaining a batting average above .400 for nearly two months (March 14 through May 7), and batting better than .350 from March 5 through the end of the season. The Corona, Calif., native reached base in a school-record 16 consecutive plate appearances from March 9-15, and he reached base in 19 of 20 plate appearances from March 9-16. During his 16-game reached base streak, Hardman compiled 12 hits, three walks and was hit by a pitch. He hit for the cycle in Oklahoma’s series-opener against Arkansas State, notching five hits (a double, home run, single, triple and single) in the process.
- Jacob Berry
- Infielder, Arizona
- 2021
- 2021 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2021
- Jacob Berry
- Infielder, Arizona
- Bats/Throws: S/R | Avg: .371 | H: 78 | R: 48 | HR: 15 | RBI: 64
- Jacob Berry, a true freshman, slugged his way into the Arizona record books in 2021 as a major contributor on arguably the No. 1 offense in the nation. Through the NCAA Regional round of his first collegiate career, Berry leads the team with a .357 batting average and paces the entire Pac-12 Conference with 64 RBI, 152 total bases and 37 extra-base hits. The Queen Creek, Arizona native was recently selected as a Pac-12 All-Conference honoree in a vote by the league’s coaches. Berry swatted eight of his 15 home runs during Pac-12 play, tying an Arizona freshman conference record that was set by the program’s career home run king in 1999. Additionally, he set Arizona freshman records in extra-base hits and total bases weeks ago and continues to build his edge. Berry’s contributions have helped the Wildcats average 8.6 runs per game, the fifth-best mark in the nation.
- Sal Frelick
- Infielder/Outfielder, Boston College
- 2021
- 2021 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2021
- Sal Frelick
- Infielder/Outfielder, Boston College
- Bats/Throws: L/R | Avg: .359 | H: 70 | R: 50 | HR: 6 | RBI: 27
- Boston College center fielder Sal Frelick was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and an All-ACC First Team selection in 2021. A five-tool prospect, he hit .359 with a 1.002 OPS, while providing highlight-reel defense night-after-night in his first season in center and just third overall in the outfield. Frelick hit 17 doubles, six home runs and two triples to go with 50 runs and 13 stolen bases. His propensity for delivering in the clutch was apparent at Auburn in an eight-run, ninth-inning comeback that he started with a leadoff-single and finished with a game-tying, three-run home run.
- Jace Jung
- Infielder, Texas Tech
- 2021
- 2021 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2021
- Jace Jung
- Infielder, Texas Tech
- Bats/Throws: L/R | Avg: .366 | H: 64 | R: 49 | HR: 20 | RBI: 65
- Texas Tech second baseman Jace Jung stepped on campus with a last name known around college baseball. In his second season of college ball, they’ve learned his first name too. The 2021 Big 12 Player of the Year has had a historic season for the Red Raiders in leading them to a third-consecutive Super Regional. Jung is the Big 12 home run (21) and RBI (67) champion and heads into Super Regionals in the mix for the national lead in RBI. It’s not all about power with Jung as his elite plate discipline helped him reached base safely in the first 50 games of the season, including all 48 games during the regular season.
- Niko Kavadas
- Infielder, Notre Dame
- 2021
- 2021 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2021
- Niko Kavadas
- Infielder, Notre Dame
- Bats/Throws: L/R | Avg: .303 | H: 40 | R: 32 | HR: 16 | RBI: 49
- Notre Dame senior first baseman Niko Kavadas is enjoying one of the best seasons by an Irish player in program history. Heading into the Super Regional weekend, he leads the NCAA in home runs per game (0.48) and is third in the nation in home runs (21) and RBI per game (1.41). He hit five home runs in three games while batting .600 with nine runs and 13 RBI during the South Bend Regional and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Regional. His 21 home runs set a program record for most in a single season and his current slugging percentage of .785 holds the top spot in the Irish record books for a single season.
- Austin Knight
- Infielder, Charlotte
- 2021
- 2021 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2021
- Austin Knight
- Infielder, Charlotte
- Bats/Throws: R/R | Avg: .355 | H: 77 | R: 55 | HR: 9 | RBI: 56
- Charlotte's Austin Knight made the most of his first season with the 49ers racking up Conference USA's Player and Newcomer of the Year award along with being a Golden Spikes Award semifinalist in 2021. During the year, Knight led the country with 29 doubles among his 80 hits sporting a .342 batting average which helped lead Charlotte to the regular season title in Conference USA and berth into NCAA Regional play in 10 years. Knight put together three different hit streaks during the year spanning at-least 11 games and hit when it certainly counted. The third baseman hit .370 with runners on, .625 with them loaded, started an inning hitting .450, hit .380 with runners in scoring position, got them in 67% of the time with less than two outs and hit .301 with 17 two-out RBI. Knight was Mr. Reliable on offense and defense committing just five errors in 309 opportunities in the hot corner.
- Kevin Kopps
- Pitcher, Arkansas
- winner
- 2021
- 2021 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- winner
- 2021
- Kevin Kopps
- Pitcher, Arkansas
- Bats/Throws: R/R | IP: 60.1 | W-L: 10-0 | ERA: 0.75 | BB: 15 | SO: 97
- Arkansas redshirt senior reliever Kevin Kopps has emerged as the most dominant pitcher in college baseball during the 2021 season, racking up unfathomable numbers while pitching strictly out of the bullpen. As of June 8, the Sugar Land, Texas, native is a perfect 12-0 on the year with 11 saves and owns a jaw-dropping 0.68 ERA in 79.2 innings pitched (31 appearances), striking out 120 batters while allowing only six runs and issuing just 15 walks. Kopps, the SEC Pitcher of the Year as well as the Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Year, leads the nation in numerous categories, including ERA (0.68) and WHIP (0.73), and continues to rewrite the Razorback record book with every outing he makes.
- Jack Leiter
- Pitcher, Vanderbilt
- finalist
- 2021
- 2021 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- finalist
- 2021
- Jack Leiter
- Pitcher, Vanderbilt
- Bats/Throws: R/R | IP: 76.1 | W-L: 8-2 | ERA: 2.12 | BB: 34 | SO: 127
- Jack Leiter has been impressive for the Commodores this season. In his first career SEC start, Leiter threw a no-hitter against No. 16 South Carolina, picking up 16 strikeouts in the effort. He went on to work 20.2 consecutive no-hit innings, following up with seven no-hit frames at Missouri in the next week, and four no-hit frames at LSU the week after. Leiter leads the nation in strikeouts with 146 on the campaign, while striking out 10 or more batters in eight of his 15 starts. The Summit, N.J., native also leads the conference in strikeouts looking with 48 on the campaign. He ranks third in the nation in hits allowed per nine innings with a mark of 3.94 mark, while placing first in the SEC. Leiter has only allowed more than three hits in just three of his 15 starts this season. The right-hander owns nine wins on the season, which tie him for sixth in the league. Leiter was tabbed as the SEC Newcomer of the Year for his spectacular performance this season, while also being named to the All-SEC First Team.
- Ethan Long
- Infielder, Arizona State
- 2021
- 2021 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2021
- Ethan Long
- Infielder, Arizona State
- Bats/Throws: R/R | Avg: .355 | H: 50 | R: 38 | HR: 16 | RBI: 52
- Matt Mikulski
- Pitcher, Fordham
- 2021
- 2021 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2021
- Matt Mikulski
- Pitcher, Fordham
- Bats/Throws: L/L | IP: 68.1 | W-L: 9-0 | ERA: 1.45 | BB: 27 | SO: 124
- The 2021 Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year and Second Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball, Matt Mikulski completed one of the finest single seasons in Fordham baseball history in 2021. The senior finished the year with a perfect 9-0 record to go with a 1.45 ERA and 124 strikeouts in 68.1 innings pitched. He led the Atlantic 10 in ERA, H/9 innings, strikeouts, K/9 innings, wins (T-1st), complete games (T-1st) and WHIP in the regular season, while nationally, he was the NCAA leader in both H/9 innings and K/9 innings and among the top five in ERA, total strikeouts and WHIP. A four-time Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Week and two-time National Player of the Week honoree, Mikulski held opponents to a .127 batting average overall, while lefties hit to an .073 average (4-for-55). He set the single season record for strikeouts at Fordham, breaking Hank Borowy's 1939 mark of 115, while also becoming the all-time strikeout king at Fordham with 272, surpassing Javier Martinez's 264 from 2004-07. Additionally, his 1.45 ERA is the fifth-best single season mark at Fordham with his 3.17 career ERA, raking in a tie for 15th all-time. Mikulski also became the 11th Ram to reach 20 career wins (tied for fifth all-time with 21), while his nine wins in a single season is tied for eighth.
- Ty Madden
- Pitcher, Texas
- 2021
- 2021 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2021
- Ty Madden
- Pitcher, Texas
- Bats/Throws: R/R | IP: 81.1 | W-L: 6-3 | ERA: 2.55 | BB: 29 | SO: 98
- One of the country’s top power right-handers, Ty Madden has put together a dominant season in leading Texas into the NCAA postseason. Madden has a 2.59 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 94 innings pitched for the Longhorns. He has held opposing hitters to a .193 batting average against, the best in the Big 12 Conference. Earlier this season he had one of the most dominant performances of the season, pitching a complete game shutout with 14 strikeouts against Houston.
- Doug Nikhazy
- Pitcher, Mississippi
- 2021
- 2021 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2021
- Doug Nikhazy
- Pitcher, Mississippi
- Bats/Throws: L/L | IP: 78.1 | W-L: 9-2 | ERA: 2.18 | BB: 27 | SO: 114
- Doug Nikhazy became just the fourth two-time All-American in Ole Miss baseball history, earning first team honors this year while putting together a season that will live forever in Rebel lore. In his latest outing, Nikhazy tied the Ole Miss single-game record with 16 strikeouts and surpassed 2010 Golden Spikes finalist Drew Pomeranz, moving to fourth on the single-season strikeout chart with 130 on the year. Nikhazy’s stellar 2021 campaign was highlighted by a one-hit, complete-game shutout in front of the largest on-campus crowd in college baseball this season to secure a road win at in-state rival Mississippi State. When Doug Day rolls around, a Rebel win is all but guaranteed—Ole Miss is 12-2 this season when Nikhazy starts, including wins in each of his last six outings.
- Matheu Nelson
- Catcher, Florida State
- 2021
- 2021 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2021
- Matheu Nelson
- Catcher, Florida State
- Bats/Throws: R/R | Avg: .339 | H: 60 | R: 47 | HR: 22 | RBI: 63
- Florida State catcher Matheu Nelson, the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year and one of three finalists for the Buster Posey Catcher of the Year Award, leads the nation with 23 home runs and has 66 runs batted in. His 23 home runs are the most for a Seminole since Posey hit 26 in 2008. Nelson led FSU in hits (64), doubles (17), home runs, RBI, slugging percentage (.773) and was second in on-base percentage (.436) and walks (31). Behind the plate, the sophomore threw out 16 of 37 would-be base stealers, including a double play in FSU’s series win at No. 2 Notre Dame. Nelson led the Seminoles to the postseason for the 43rd consecutive season, one shy of the all-time mark, hitting his 23rd home run of the year in the Oxford Regional opener against Southern Miss. Nelson led FSU with a .300 batting average in Oxford and led FSU with 22 multi-hit games and 19 multi-RBI games while starting 52 of 55 games behind the plate. Nelson is a first team All-American and first-team All-ACC selection.
- Kumar Rocker
- Pitcher, Vanderbilt
- finalist
- 2021
- 2021 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- finalist
- 2021
- Kumar Rocker
- Pitcher, Vanderbilt
- Bats/Throws: R/R | IP: 88.0 | W-L: 11.2 | ERA: 2.45 | BB: 27 | SO: 129
- One of the nation’s top arms, Kumar Rocker has been a force on the Vanderbilt pitching staff all season. The right-hander ranks second in the nation and leads the SEC in wins with 12 on the campaign, which are two shy of the Vanderbilt single-season record. The former National Freshman of the Year has worked an SEC-leading 98.1 innings this season, while ranking second in the conference in strikeouts with 146. The Athens, Ga., native was named to the All-SEC First Team following the regular season, marking the second time in his career receiving conference postseason honors.
- Connor Norby
- Infielder, East Carolina
- 2021
- 2021 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2021
- Connor Norby
- Infielder, East Carolina
- Bats/Throws: R/R | Avg: .420 | H: 89 | R: 56 | HR: 12 | RBI: 42
- East Carolina’s Connor Norby was named the American Athletic Conference Player-of-the-Year and a Collegiate Baseball Second-Team All-America selection. He enters the Nashville Super Regional ranked second nationally in hits (100) and total bases (160), while also ranking among the leaders in hits per game (sixth/1.69), batting average (eighth/.418), runs (10th/64), on-base percentage (38th/.487), home runs (42nd/15), runs per game (42nd/1.08) and slugging percentage (47th/.669). Norby became the fourth player in program history to reach 100 hits in a season and did it in just 58 games (fastest ever). He has tallied at least one hit in 51 of 59 games (multiple 33 times) and has plated at least one run in 27 contests (multiple on 12 occasions) – both leading the team. The Kernersville, N.C., native also leads the club in home runs (15) and RBI (51) and is tied for the team lead in runs scored (64) with Thomas Francisco. Norby set the school record with a 56-game on-base streak that started in 2020 and ended at USF on May 21.
- Landon Sims
- Pitcher, Mississippi State
- 2021
- 2021 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2021
- Landon Sims
- Pitcher, Mississippi State
- Bats/Throws: R/R | IP: 37.0 | W-L: 3-0 | ERA: 0.49 | BB: 12 | SO: 73
- Landon Sims started the season with a monster outing against Texas in the series opener with four perfect innings of relief and 10 strikeouts and has not slowed down. One of the most dominant bullpen arms in the nation, Sims owns a .1.34 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 78 strikeouts in 40 1/3 innings of work. He limits opponents to a .155 batting average and owns a 3-0 record and nine saves. Two wins and six saves came against ranked opponents and seven of his nine saves came in SEC play. Of his 121 outs recorded, 64% came via strikeout. Of his 19 appearances, Sims did not allowed a run of his own in 16 of those and stranded five of eight inherited runners on the season. He held opponents to one-or-fewer base runners in 10 of the appearances and factored into 12 decisions. In his 19 appearances, Mississippi State won 17 games he pitched in and he did not give up a lead all season.
- Spencer Schwellenbach
- Infielder/Pitcher, Nebraska
- 2021
- 2021 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2021
- Spencer Schwellenbach
- Infielder/Pitcher, Nebraska
- Bats/Throws: R/R | Avg: .289 | H: 48 | R: 41 | HR: 6 | RBI: 35
- Bats/Throws: R/R | IP: 25.1 | W-L: 2-1 | ERA: 0.71 | BB: 6 | SO: 29
- Big Ten Player of the Year Spencer Schwellenbach took the mound for the first time in 2021 and has been one of the top two-way players in the country. A contributor in all three facets of the game, Schwellenbach has been Nebraska's No. 3 hitter all season, started every game at shortstop and has served as the team's closer. Offensively, Schwellenbach ranked in the top 10 in the Big Ten in runs, RBI and walks, while in the field he has committed just four errors in 183 chances. The Saginaw, Mich., native took the mound for the first time during his Husker career this season and has been electric, leading the Big Ten with 10 saves. Following a season-high 4.2-inning outing in a win over No. 1 Arkansas at the Fayetteville Regional, he dropped his blistering ERA to 0.57 in 31.2 innings over 18 appearances. He has struck out 34 and has allowed just two runs.
- Paul Skenes
- Catcher/Pitcher, Air Force
- 2021
- 2021 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2021
- Paul Skenes
- Catcher/Pitcher, Air Force
- Bats/Throws: R/R | Avg: .418 | H: 74 | R: 45 | HR: 11 | RBI: 40
- Bats/Throws: R/R | IP: 26.2 | W-L: 1-1 | ERA: 2.70 | BB: 9 | SO: 30
- Air Force Academy two-way threat Paul Skenes was one of the most outstanding players in the nation as a true freshman, serving as a catcher/DH, as well as the closer for the Falcons. Offensively, Skenes slashed .410/.486/.697 with 77 hits, 21 doubles, 11 home runs and 43 RBI. On the mound, the Lake Forest, Calif., native went a perfect 11-for-11 in save attempts, while recording a 30/9 K/BB ratio. He was the only D1 player in the nation to accumulate double digit saves and home runs. He finished the year ninth in the country in saves and 14th in the country in batting average.
- Gavin Williams
- Pitcher, East Carolina
- 2021
- 2021 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2021
- Gavin Williams
- Pitcher, East Carolina
- Bats/Throws: L/R | IP: 61.0 | W-L: 9-0 | ERA: 1.48 | BB: 16 | SO: 98
- East Carolina’s Gavin Williams was named the American Athletic Conference Player-of-the-Year and a Collegiate Baseball First-Team All-America selection. He enters the Nashville Super Regional ranked nationally in K/9 (sixth/14.23), wins (seventh/10), ERA (ninth/1.82), strikeouts (20th/117), K to BB ratio (32nd/6.16) and H/9 (34th/6.08). He has allowed just 16 runs (16 earned) on 50 hits in 74.0 innings. Standing fourth on the Pirates single-season strikeouts chart, the right-hander went unbeaten during league play posting a 7-0 ledger where he struck out 69 batters and walked just nine. He surrendered just eight runs (all earned) on 29 hits in 41.1 innings and sported a 1.74 ERA.
- Aaron Zavala
- Outfielder, Oregon
- 2021
- 2021 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2021
- Aaron Zavala
- Outfielder, Oregon
- Bats/Throws: L/R | Avg: .394 | H: 67 | R: 54 | HR: 7 | RBI: 33
- Oregon’s Aaron Zavala, the Pac-12 Conference player of the Year, ended the regular season batting .398 with seven home runs, 34 RBI and 58 runs scored, while boasting a .538 on-base percentage and a .613 slugging percentage. He leads the Ducks in batting average, runs, hits, slugging percentage, walks and stolen bases. He set school records for both runs scored and walks during the regular season. Nationally, the Keizer, Ore., native ended the regular season second in the nation in OBP (.001 behind the national leader), seventh in base on balls, ninth in base on balls per game (0.96) and 18th in batting average. He led the Pac-12 Conference in on-base percentage, walks and base on balls per game, while ranking second in batting average, sixth in hits per game and seventh in slugging percentage and hits.
- Trey Sweeney
- Infielder, Eastern Illinois
- 2021
- 2021 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2021
- Trey Sweeney
- Infielder, Eastern Illinois
- Bats/Throws: L/R | Avg: .382 | H: 65 | R: 52 | HR: 14 | RBI: 58
- Projected to be an early round selection in the 2021 MLB First-Year Player Draft, Eastern Illinois University’s Trey Sweeney had one of the best overall seasons in Eastern Illinois program history. He was named the Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year after ranking in the Top 50 nationally in 11 different categories during the season. He was seventh in on-base percentage, ninth in walks and 13th in RBI. He led the OVC in slugging percentage while ranking second in runs scored and third in batting average. He had 17 multi-RBI games and had a streak of 40 consecutive games reaching base safely (a streak extended to 53 games dating back to 2020).