DALLAS (NCBWA) – Perfection on the pitching mound and
a meteoric week at the plate led Massachusetts Maritime Academy's
Kevin Kwedor and UW-La Crosse's Jordan
Greenland to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association's
Division III national Pitcher and Hitter of the Week honors for
the period of April 21-27.
Kwedor, a sophomore from Marshfield, Mass., joined the NCAA annals
throwing the 25th perfect game in Division III history (and first
in program's history) by retiring all 21 batters faced in Buccaneers'
4-0 victory over MCLA April 21. The Massachusetts State Collegiate
Athletic Conference's Pitcher of the Week struck out six while inducing
seven ground ball outs and eight fly ball outs in throwing 60 of
89 pitches for strikes. Kwedor came back six days later and went
the distance in scattering seven hits and fanning four in a 1-0
setback to Framingham State.
Greenland, a senior from LaFarge, Wis., had an incredible week,
hitting .500 (16-of-32) in nine games as UW-La Crosse finished 8-1.
He scored nine runs with three doubles, four home runs and 21 RBIs
while recording a .969 slugging percentage and .553 on-base percentage.
Registering at least one hit in seven of the nine games, he also
had five straight multi-hit contests. In a victory over St. Olaf
College (Minn.) on April 21, he went 4-for-4 with three runs, two
home runs, one double and eight RBI. The eight RBIs are tied for
second in single-game school history. He followed with six RBIs
in a win at Wis.-Stout on April 22. The Wisconsin Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference's Hitter of the Week had four multi-RBI games
and three contests with at least two runs.
Honorable Mention Hitters: Gaston Rojas, Keystone
- 16-24 (.667) with 16 runs scored and five RBIs while starting
all eight games. Drew four walks and was hit by one pitch to post
a .724 on base percentage while going six-for-seven in stolen base
attempts … Nick Yip, Old Westbury - Smashed five home runs and knocked
in 11 RBIs. Was 10-for-25 with seven runs scored and also added
three walks, two doubles and a triple with a slugging percentage
of 1.160.
Honorable Mention Pitchers: Dan Kluss, Concordia
(Ill.) - Threw 19 innings allowing no runs on 6 hits to go with
20 Ks and 5 walks. Pitched complete-game 7-0 win v. Aurora on April
21, had no-hitter until first batter of ninth inning (finished with
two-hitter). Threw 10 innings (131 pitches) April 27 in 1-0 win
over MSOE, allowing just 4 hits … Tyler Mitchell, Greenville - Joined
the Greenville baseball record book by throwing a no-hitter in a
win over Blackburn. Struck out seven and walked four.
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 Dick Howser Player
of the Year Award, Regional Player of the Year and NCBWA All-America
voting. The NCBWA also sponsors preseason All-America awards, publication
and writing contests.
2014 NCBWA Division III Players of the Week:
• March 2: Simon Rosenbaum, Pomona-Pitzer (Hitter);
Chris Bishop, Pacific Lutheran and Jake Perkins, Ferrum (Pitcher)
• March 9: Nick Flemister, St. John Fisher (Hitter);
Brett Marcom, Southwestern and Andy Sadoski, Bridgewater State (Pitcher)
• March 16: Wareen Hartmann, Merchant Marine (Hitter);
Nick Sarna, SUNY-Maritime (Pitcher)
• March 23: Anthony Mack, Grinnell (Hitter);
Danny O'Donnell, Gallaudet (Pitcher)
• March 30: Joe Mendez, St. Joseph's (Hitter);
Braden Johnson, Transylvania (Pitcher)
• April 6: Casey Hicks, Gallaudet (Hitter);
Trevor Cannella, SUNY-Maritime (Pitcher)
• April 13: Josh Makler, Redlands (Hitter);
Colin Feikles, LaRoche (Pitcher)
• April 20: Dillon Weaver, Ferrum (Hitter);
Sam Fischer, Adrian (Pitcher)
• April 27: Kevin Kwedor, Massachusetts Maritime (Hitter);
Jordan Greenland, UW-La Crosse (Pitcher)
• May 4: Shane Adler, UW-La Crosse (Hitter);
Matt Taliercio, Lancaster Bible (Pitcher)
|