April 21, 2016
For Immediate Release
Contact: Mark Adkins
260-982-5035
Hardin-Simmons' Parker, Keystone's Baez honored
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NCBWA NAMES DIVISION III
NATIONAL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

DALLAS (NCBWA) – Hardin-Simmons' Colton Parker and Keystone College's Felix Baez gained Hitter and Pitcher of the Week honors from the Division III National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association for the period of April 11-17.

Parker, a junior designated hitter/first baseman from Decatur, Texas , made life difficult for opposing pitching last week. Against Louisiana College in a three-game league sweep for the Cowboys, the American Southwest Conference Hitter of the Week finished 7-for-10 with five home runs. Four of the five home runs were solos and the other a two-run shot. Three led off innings and another came on a back-to-back with Colson Craddick. Parker scored seven times and drove in eight runs in the three-game set. He had two in each game of the doubleheader on Friday and one on Saturday in the run-rule shortened game.

During a week in which no-hitters seemed to be the norm across the country with four nominees having registered one, Baez, a senior right-hander from San Juan, Puerto Rico, led the list. The Colonial States Athletic Conference's Pitcher of the Week threw the first Giants' no-no since 2012, limiting local rival Marywood to just four walks and having only one opposing runner get into scoring position in Keystone's 1-0, nine-inning victory. The senior right-hander, who compiled 130 pitches during the afternoon with 76 strikes, struck out 16 batters on the day, tying for the third-most in a single game in program history.

Honorable Mention Hitter: Donovan Pogue, Sr., 1B, Thomas More - Helped lead the first-place Saints to a 4-1 record last week, including a 4-0 record against PAC opposition, by hitting .750 (12-of-16) with three home runs, a double, 11 RBIs and 10 runs scored. He also drew five walks and was hit by a pitch for a .818 on-base percentage while putting together a 1.375 slugging percentage.

Honorable Mention Pitchers: Daniel Petr, Fr., RHP, Lasell - Went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 14.0 innings last week, throwing a seven-inning no-hitter in a 4-1 win over Anna Maria on Saturday after tossing a three-hit shutout against Albertus Magnus on Monday. He allowed just one unearned run in Lasell's second-ever no-hitter and on the week struck out eight while walking three. Bryan Roberts, So., RHP, Wabash - Tossed the second no-hitter in school history and first since 1923 in the Little Giants' 4-0 victory over Wittenberg last Wednesday. In the seven-inning game, Roberts struck out seven hitters and allowed just three base runners on a hit batsman and two fielding errors. The sophomore retired the final six batters with four of his seven strikeouts to secure the win and no-hitter. Blake Peterson, Sr., RHP, Luther - Threw a no-hitter and improved to 4-0 for the year during a 1-0 victory over Simpson April 16. Peterson faced 25 batters, walked four and struck out seven. Only one Simpson ball left the infield - that being a fly ball to right field in the fourth.

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.

2016 NCBWA Division III Players of the Week:
Week ending Feb. 21: Tommy Vitaletti, Christopher Newport (Hitter); Greg Schneider, Frostburg State (Pitcher)
Week ending Feb. 28: Andrew Waters, Trinity, Texas (Hitter); Andrew Stull, Rose-Hulman (Pitcher)
Week ending March 6: Joe Zimmer, Whitman (Hitter); Matt Backlund, Alvernia (Pitcher)
Week ending March 13: Justin Taylor, Lancaster Bible (Hitter); Brian Bohman, Penn State-Behrend (Pitcher)
Week ending March 20: Aaron Barclay, Washington College (Hitter); Sam Gillespie, Kenyon (Pitcher)
Week ending March 27: Marcus Begg, Southern Virginia (Hitter); Mark Iseneker, St. John Fisher (Pitcher)
Week ending April 3: Ben Kenning, Thomas More (Hitter); Jake Perkins, Ferrum (Pitcher)
Week ending April 10: Taylor Kohlwey, UW-La Crosse (Hitter); Sam Tinkham, Grinnell (Pitcher)
Week ending April 17: Colton Parker, Hardin-Simmons (Hitter); Felix Baez, Keystone (Pitcher)
Week ending April 24: Willie Doll, St. Mary's, Minnesota (Hitter); Dylan Gausman, Concordia (Pitcher)
Week ending May 1: Ryan Dodson, Pitt-Greenburg (Hitter); Tyler Duff, Williams (Pitcher)
Week ending May 8: Richard Fecteau, Salem State (Hitter); Walter Talcott, Earlham (Pitcher)