DALLAS (NCBWA) – A productive week by right fielder Ryan Darner of Thomas More College and an impressive no-hitter by Travis Ratliff of the State University of New York at Cortland have earned them the sixth NCAA Division III National Hitter and Pitcher of the Week honors respectively for the week of April 4-10, 2011, as voted on by a panel of D-III members of the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

Darner, a sophomore from Burlington, Ky., batted .722 (13-for-18) with two home runs, two doubles, 11 runs scored and 12 RBIs for the 23rd-ranked Saints, who went 5-0 last week (4-0 in conference) with double-digit run totals in all five wins. His slugging percentage for the week was 1.167, while his on base percentage was .750 (18-for-24). He began the week with a 4-for-5 game and three RBIs in a 12-7 win over Centre, and scored three runs in a 15-14 win over Bethany. In a tripleheader sweep of Saint Vincent on Sunday, he went 9-for-12 with eight RBIs and seven runs scored. In the final game, he went 5-for-5 with a double, two home runs, five RBIs and five runs scored in a 17-3 win. Darner was named the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Hitter of the Week.

Ratliff, a senior southpaw from Levittown, N.Y., threw one of four no-hitters around the country, making this week’s voting one of the most difficult ever for the D-III panel. His was the 18th no-hitter in Cortland history, a 1-0 win for the Red Dragons over SUNY-Plattsburgh on Thursday. He faced only two batters over the minimum in the seven-inning contest as he walked three batters, with one erased on a caught stealing that ended the game, and struck out eight. He is currently 2-2 with a 3.34 ERA in six appearances this spring, allowing 29 hits and striking out 35 in 32.1 innings. Ratliff was named the State University of New York Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week.

Honorable Mention Hitters: Cody Stevenson (Webster) - .733 (11-15), 2 doubles, 2 triples, 1 home run, 7 stolen bases, 5 RBI, 10 runs, 1.333 slugging pct.; Derek Dauenbaugh (Rose-Hulman) - .600 (9-15), 3 doubles, 2 home runs, 11 RBI, 9 runs, 1.200 slugging pct.; Anthony Porcaro (Marian) - .714 (15-21), 3 doubles, 5 stolen bases, 7 RBI, 9 runs, .857 slugging pct.; Kevin Callahan (Illinois Wesleyan) - .571 (12-21), 1 double, 1 home run, 8 RBI, 7 runs, .762 slugging pct.; Mike Rubino (Western New England) - .600 (12-20), 2 doubles, 10 RBI, 6 runs, .700 slugging pct.; Jim Schult (Eastern Connecticut State) - .750 (6-8), 1 double, 2 home runs, 5 RBI, 10 runs, 1.625 slugging pct.; Matt Thompson (McMurry) - .642 (9-14), 1 double, 4 triples, 9 RBI, 2 runs, 1.286 slugging pct.; Drew Leachman (Birmingham-Southern) - .706 (12-17), 3 doubles, 4 stolen bases, 10 RBI, 5 runs, .882 slugging pct.; Matt Guida (Wisconsin-Stout) - .688 (11-16), 6 doubles, 1 home run, 10 RBI, 3 runs, 1.250 slugging pct.

Honorable Mention Pitchers: Kendall Paluch (Loras) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 7.0 ip, 1 cg, 0 hits, 6 strikeouts; Justin D’Amato (St. John Fisher) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 7.0 ip, 1 cg, 0 hits, 5 strikeouts; Brian Gasser (Marietta) - 1-0, 1.29 ERA, 7.0 ip, 1 cg, 7 strikeouts; Brendan Close (Moravian) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 9.0 ip, 1 cg, 1 hit, 16 strikeouts; Sam Shipman (Alma) - 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 14.0 ip, 2 cg, 10 hits, 7 strikeouts; Kyle Davis (Allegheny) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 11.2 ip, 1 cg, 5 hits, 11 strikeouts; Matt Rupert (Wittenberg) - 0-0, 4 saves, 4.0 ip, 1 hit, 6 strikeouts.

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2011 NCBWA Division III Players of the Week:
• March 6: Kevin Brashears, Shenandoah (Hitter); Matt McAllister of Penn State-Abington (Pitcher)
• March 13: Michael Pascarella, Pittsburgh-Bradford (Hitter); Lee Schurlknight, Sewanee (Pitcher)
• March 20: Jonathan Mason, Bridgewater (Hitter); Josh Scott, Baldwin-Wallace (Pitcher)
• March 27: Dan Haugh, Wheaton (Hitter); Mike McManus, Mt. St. Vincent's (Pitcher)
• April 3: Trent Svehla, Simpson (Hitter); Mark DiTomasso, Western New England (Pitcher)
• April 10: Ryan Darner, Thomas More (Hitter); Travis Ratliff, SUNY-Cortland (Pitcher)
• April 17: Brandon O'Connell, Wisconsin-Stout (Hitter); Sean White, Dickinson (Pitcher)
• April 24: John Snyder, Marietta (Hitter); Mike Russo, Kean (Pitcher)
• May 1: Matt Bittner, Penn State-Behrend (Hitter); Max Henry, Saint Vincent (Pitcher)
• May 8: Mike Nodzenski, Grinnell (Hitter); Joe Sweeney, Illinois Wesleyan (Pitcher)