DALLAS (NCBWA) – Shortstop Tony Petulla of Pennsylvania State University-Altoona slugged his team into the conference tournament while Franklin College (Ind.) ace Brandon McWhorter threw back-to-back shutouts, earning 2005 NCAA Division III National Hitter of the Week and Pitcher of the Week for April 25-May 1 from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

Petulla, a lefty-swinging sophomore from Osceola Mills, Pa., led the Lions to a 4-0 week and into the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference tournament by hitting .692 (9-for-13) with a pair of home runs, a slugging percentage of 1.154, 3 runs scored and 10 RBI. He began the week with a 4-for-5 game vs. Juniata, with a home run, 3 RBI, and 2 runs scored, and was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI in the second game. He had a grand slam against Penn St. Behrend in the regular season conference finale that put Altoona in the tournament. Petulla is currently ranked second in the conference in hitting (.410) and slugging pct. (.713), and first in hits (50) and RBI (48).

McWhorter, a right-handed junior from New Castle, Ind., blanked Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference opponents in consecutive games to improve to 5-2 overall. He pitched the full nine innings and allowed just 4 hits, issued no walks and had 9 strikeouts in the Grizzlies' 7-0 victory at Anderson April 25. McWhorter then went the full seven innings and gave up 5 hits and 1 walk and had 5 strikeouts in Franklin's 4-0 second-game victory at 20th-ranked Manchester on April 30. McWhorter, who has a 2.39 ERA, was 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 16 innings, 9 hits, 14 strikeouts and 1 walk.

Honorable Mention Hitters: Austin DeHoogh (Central IA) - .778 (7-9), 1 double, 1 triple, 3 RBI, 5 runs, 1.111 slugging pct.; Josh Santry (Amherst) – .667 (10-15), 2 doubles, 1 home run, 9 RBI, 1.000 slugging pct., .818 on-base pct.; Ross Klawitter (Wisconsin-Whitewater) - .500 (10-20), 1 double, 2 home runs, 7 runs, 3 RBI, .850 slugging pct.; John Dailey (Linfield) - .583 (7-12), 1 double, 2 home runs, 4 runs, 5 RBI, 1.167 slugging pct.

Honorable Mention Pitchers: Kevin Tomasiewicz (Wisconsin-Whitewater) – 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 10.2 ip, 5 hits, 15 strikeouts; Brian Krost (Western Connecticut State) – 1-0, 2.00 ERA, 9 ip, 2 hits, 10 strikeouts, no-hitter for 8.1 ip; Zack Grove (Mount St. Joseph) – 1-0, 1.69 ERA, 10.2 ip, 3 strikeouts, no-hitter vs. Defiance; Sam Mann (Washington & Jefferson) – 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 14 ip, 6 hits, 13 strikeouts; Zeke Boron (Delaware Valley) – 1-0, 3.70 ERA, 7.1 ip, 0 hits, 11 strikeouts, no-hitter vs. Penn State-Berks; Jordan Boyer (Albright) – 1-1, 4.41 ERA, 10.2 ip, 7 hits, 2 strikeouts, no-hitter vs. Lebanon Valley.

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