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May 10, 2012 For Immediate Release Contact: Blair Cash 503-554-2926 |
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| Aurora's Van Asdlen, UW-Platteville's Oppriecht honored |
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| NCBWA NAMES DIVISION
III NATIONAL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK |
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DALLAS (NCBWA) – A single-game RBI record for Brett Van Asdlen of Aurora University and a fine effort against a nationally-ranked opponent by Bill Oppriecht of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville have earned them the 10th and final NCAA Division III National Hitter and Pitcher of the Week honors for April 29-May 6 as voted on by a panel of D-III members of the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. Asdlen, a senior first baseman from Minooka, Ill., led the 19th-ranked Spartans to a 3-0 week and their first Northern Athletics Conference regular-season championship in the six years of the conference and 21st title overall. He hit .692 (9-for-13) with five home runs, one double, 15 runs batted in, and six runs scored, finishing the week with a 1.923 slugging percentage and a .643 on-base percentage. In Aurora's 25-1 win over Dominican, he hit three home runs, with a grand slam in the first inning, a two-run shot in the second, and a three-run blast in the fourth. His 10 runs batted in for the game broke a single-game Aurora record that dated back to 1996. Van Asdlen was the Northern Athletics Conference Position Player of the Week. Oppriecht, a junior right-hander from Seneca, Wis., pitched his second straight complete game in the Pioneers' 1-0 win over 14th-ranked Wisconsin-Stevens Point on May 4. He allowed just six hits, two for extra bases, and walked four, but kept the hard-hitting Pointers off the scoreboard by striking out seven and stranding nine runners, starting the Pioneers off on their first doubleheader sweep of UWSP since 1996. Oppriecht was named the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week. Honorable mention hitters: Marty Herum (Wisconsin-Whitewater) - .533 (16-30), 4 doubles, 1 home run, 18 RBIs, 7 runs, .767 slugging pct.; Aaron Helland (Defiance) - .583 (7-12), 2 doubles, 7 RBIs, 4 runs, 5 stolen bases, .917 slugging pct.; Kyle McClain (Washington & Jefferson) - .533 (16-30), 1 double, 1 triple, 7 RBIs, 8 runs, .600 slugging pct.; Taylor Perun (Western New England) - .444 (8-18) - 1 double, 1 triple, 1 home run, 3 RBIs, 4 runs, .778 slugging pct.; Tyler Smarslok (Kean) - .556 (5-9), 1 double, 6 RBIs, 1 run, .667 slugging pct.; John Carey (Southern Maine) - .533 (8-15), 1 double, 5 RBIs, .600 slugging pct.; Sam Tajiri (Messiah) - .429 (6-14), 2 doubles, 1 RBIs, 4 runs, .571 slugging pct. Honorable mention pitchers: Tyler Erickson (Castleton State) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 9.0 ip, 1 cg, 4 hits, 11 strikeouts; Dan LaRocca (Ramapo) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 9.0 ip, 1 cg, 4 hits, 4 strikeouts; Ryan Larson (Linfield) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 9.0 ip, 1 cg, 4 hits, 7 strikeouts; David Hoey (Rhode Island College) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 9.0 ip, 1 cg, 4 hits, 6 strikeouts; Dakota Aker (Castleton State) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 9.0 ip, 1 cg, 4 hits, 6 strikeouts; Alex Raver (Wisconsin Lutheran) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 9.0 ip, 1 cg, 1 hit, 2 strikeouts; Tommy Bergjans (Haverford)- 1-0, 1.00 ERA, 9.0 ip, 1 cg, 5 hits, 7 strikeouts; Brian Ranta (George Fox) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 9.0 ip, 1 cg, 7 hits, 11 strikeouts. Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters and publicists of the sport. Members receive a membership card, directory, newsletter updates and official votes in the Howser Award Player of the Year, Regional Player of the Year and NCBWA All-America voting. The NCBWA also sponsors preseason All-America awards, publication and writing contests. 2012 NCBWA Division III Players of the Week: |
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