DALLAS (NCBWA) – Member institutions of the North Eastern
Athletic Conference, Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference, and Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference gained
top accolades on the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association's
Division III Hitter, Pitcher and Rookie of Week announcement for
April 30-May 6.
Hitter of the Week: Junior infielder
Cameron Upton of Gallaudet helped the Bison conclude 2018
in style. During a 3-1 week, the Vicksburg, Miss., native had six
extra-base hits and finished the week with 26 total bases to post
an outstanding .850 on-base percentage. Upton also had 12 RBIs,
ten runs scored and two stolen bases in the stretch. The highlight
of his week came in the final game of the season against SUNY Cobleskill
when Upton hit for the cycle in a 6-for-7 day at the plate. In four
games, Upton posted an. 889 batting average and a 1.444 slugging
percentage.
Honorable Mention Hitter: Frank Podkul, 3B,
Sr., Franklin College – Mashed to the tune of a .480 (12-for-25)
average, belting six home runs, driving in 19 runs and scoring eight
times as Franklin went 4-1 last week to close out the regular season.
Podkul played a significant factor in helping the Grizzlies clinch
the HCAC regular season crown with Tuesday's sweep of Anderson,
hitting a pair of home runs as Franklin swept Anderson and locked
up the top seed in the postseason tourney. He followed it up with
a game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, part of
a four-RBI day against Otterbein. Podkul saved his most significant
performance for the regular season ending twin bill against Defiance
on Saturday, going seven-for-11 with three home runs and 10 RBI
against the Yellow Jackets while setting new program records for
home runs in a season (14) and career home runs (27) along the way.
Pitcher of the Week: Junior Tyler Peck
enabled Chapman University to weave its way through the SCIAC tournament
in route to the championship. The Corte Madera, Calif., native stepped
up in the face of elimination to set the tone for a championship
run through the loser's bracket. After losing in the opening game
of the tournament, Chapman gave the ball to Peck to keep them alive.
He tossed an absolute gem with a three-hit, 14-strikeout, complete
game shutout of Pomona-Pitzer in the first elimination game. Eight
of those 14 Ks came in the final four innings as he secured Chapman's
6-0 victory. The 14 strikeouts were a career-high for the junior
and his fifth double-digit strikeout game of the season. He lowered
his ERA to 2.27 and upped his average to 12.11 strikeouts per nine,
which ranks 20th in the nation. His 4.67 hits allowed per nine ranks
fourth nationally.
Honorable Mention Pitcher: Sean Pavlik, Jr.,
Penn State-Berks - Allowed just one hit and did not issue a walk
in a complete-game shutout at Penn College on May 5. He allowed
only two baserunners, with one reaching on an error, and struck
out six to improve to 4-1 on the year. With the regular season complete,
Pavlik ranks third in the league with a 1.91 ERA against NEAC opponents.
Rookie of the Week: University of Dubuque infielder
Kellen Mitchell delivered in big spots through
the week for the Spartans, as UD wrapped up its first Iowa Conference
title. He hit .615 with eight hits, seven runs, six RBI, one double,
three triples and four walks. The most prominent highlight of the
span for the Batavia, Ill., native was an eight-for-10 effort at
the dish in a weekend series sweep of Nebraska Wesleyan in which
the Spartans' slugger drove in six runs, scored seven of his own
and collected three triples and a double.
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.
2018 NCBWA Division III Players of the Week:
• Week ending Feb. 25: Josh Belarde, Iowa Wesleyan (Hitter); Jimi Keating, Spalding (Pitcher); Tristen Luck, Methodist (Rookie)
• Week ending March 4: Ben Sexton, Emory and Henry (Hitter); Patrick Maybach, Salve Regina (Pitcher); James Green, St. Mary's (Minn.) (Rookie)
• Week ending March 11: Carson Cox, Concordia (Hitter); Greg Schneider, Frostburg State (Pitcher); Justin Provost, Rowan (Minn.) (Rookie)
• Week ending March 18: Will Welsh, Lancaster Bible (Hitter); Colin Coffey, Luther (Pitcher); Isaiah Ausby, Cazenovia College (Rookie)
• Week ending March 25 Dakota Bryden, Wisconsin-Whitewater (Hitter); Ryan Miller, Benedictine (Pitcher); Shayne Audet, New England College (Rookie)
• Week ending April 1: Tommy Epsaro, DeSales (Hitter); Charlie Ruegger, Stevens Tech (Pitcher); Jack Layrisson, LaGrange (Rookie)
• Week ending April 8: Chris Fowler, UMass-Boston (Hitter); Matt D'Ambrosia, Muhlenberg (Pitcher); Joel Pierce, Wheaton, Ill. (Rookie)
• Week ending April 15: Austin Parent, Pitt-Bradford (Hitter); Jack Herzing, Penn State-Behrend (Pitcher); Jack Koch, Union College (Rookie)
• Week ending April 22: Coleman Hendershot, NYU (Hitter); Ryan Orr, Kalamazoo College (Pitcher); Jack Koch, Union College (Rookie)
• Week ending April 29: John Arancio, Southern Vermont College (Hitter); Cam Graham, Husson University (Pitcher); Austin Fox, Ripon College (Rookie)
• Week ending May 6: Cameron Upton, Gallaudet (Hitter); Tyler Peck, Chapman (Pitcher); Kellen Mitchell, Dubuque (Rookie)
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