With the Spartans riding a nine-game winning streak, Travis Gulick's play probably has gone unnoticed by most.

On Tuesday, however, the Big Ten recognized the junior right fielder's achievements by giving him co-Big Ten Player of the Week honors.

"It was really a surprise to me," Gulick said. "I'm just going to go out and continue playing my best. If it brings accolades on the side, that's cool. But it also brings recognition to the team."

Gulick is riding a 19-game hitting streak that began in the season's fifth game against North Florida on March 6, and if his 8-for-16 performance this past week is any indication, he doesn't look to be slowing down.

He scored five runs in the five games, including a pair of doubles, a home run and five RBI. He also raised his batting average to a team-leading .372.

Gulick, of course, is as modest as they come and wouldn't mind being on a 19-game hitless streak as long as MSU were winning.

"It's in the back of my mind, and it's nice to have," Gulick said after the Spartans' sweep of Iowa on Sunday. "But if it stops in the next game, it's not that big of a deal to me."

On Tuesday, he slightly altered his statement.

"Well, 20 does sound better than 19," he said. "But if we win and I get the monkey off my back, I'm fine with that."

MSU manager Ted Mahan said he doesn't mind if Gulick's hitting streak ends as long as MSU continues to win. Then again, knowing it will end eventually, he hopes that day isn't today.

"He's really being more patient at the plate," Mahan said. "If the wind was blowing in, he might have hit five home runs this weekend. He hit that many balls that were caught at the fence.

"He's definitely been carrying us with the bat. It's going to end - hopefully not for a while."

Players on the team have been ribbing Gulick about being named co-Big Ten Player of the Week, but they're doing just the opposite about his hitting streak.

Senior third baseman James Moreno said he commends Gulick for holding up under the added pressure of a long hitting streak.

Senior first baseman Scott Koerber said he's taking a different approach.

"It's like a pitcher throwing a no-hitter - no one is really talking to him about it," Koerber said.

One would think the Spartans (13-10 overall, 4-0 Big Ten) probably won't need Gulick to be at his best today when the team takes on Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne at 3 p.m. IPFW (10-17) is a smaller Division I school, but Mahan said MSU-IPFW games always seem to be competitive. IPFW took on Toledo late Tuesday afternoon, so that game is not included in the team's record.

"They always play us tough," Mahan said. "They're probably not happy with their record - they've lost more than they've won - but it's what they have done recently. They've won four out of five, so they're probably feeling better about themselves."