DALLAS (NCBWA) For the sixth time in seven weeks, the
National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Div. III Rookie
of the Week went to a freshman from the Mideast Region, while a
no-hitter and a six-long ball week took home the Pitcher and Hitter
of the Week honors for games spanning April 1-7.
Hitter of the Week: Zack Smith, a senior first baseman and outfielder
for Salve Regina University, enjoyed an absolutely prolific power
week with six home runs and 12 RBI in six contests. Smith, who added
four doubles and scored 12 times, batted an impressive .560 (14-for-25)
with a .533 on-base percentage and a monstrous 1.440 slugging percentage.
The slugger opened the week by slamming a pair of round-trippers
in a 5-3 non-conference win against Rhode Island College. He added
four more homers in a doubleheader split with Commonwealth Coast
Conference rival Western New England University, including three
in the opener. In conference play, Smith batted .786 (11-for-14)
with four home runs, six RBI, and a 1.929 slugging percentage in
three games.
Honorable Mention Hitter: Will Welsh, Sr., OF, Lancaster Bible
College The Chargers' senior outfielder went 10-for-14 at the
plate for a .714 batting average with four home runs, nine runs
scored, 13 RBI, and five walks during a three-game sweep against
Gallaudet University. In the final game of the weekend, Welsh went
4-for-4 with three long balls to finish the week with a 1.571 slugging
percentage.
Pitcher of the Week: Suffolk University senior Worth Walrod tossed
a no-hitter in the opening game of Sunday's Great Northeast Athletic
Conference double-dip with Anna Maria College. The southpaw matched
his career-high with 10 strikeouts, and needed 111 pitches to become
the first Suffolk hurler to pitch a no-no since Jhonneris Mendez
did so seven years earlier to the day in a 3-0 win over Lasell College.
Honorable Mention Pitcher: Cole Christensen, Sr., Concordia College
(Minnesota) Earned victories in two of Concordia's three games
last week. He pitched eight shutout innings against Augsburg University
on Monday and then came back to throw seven innings and only allow
one run in the Cobbers' victory at Macalester College on Saturday.
Christensen fanned 12 batters versus the Auggies and then 11 more
against the Scots to bring his Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference-leading total to 42.
Rookie of the Week: Case Western Reserve University's Nick Denove
threw a complete-game shutout in a 6-0 win over New York University
in the second game of the Spartans' sweep on Saturday. Denove limited
the Violets to five hits and two walks, while throwing just 91 pitches
and allowing only one runner past second base in the nine-inning
game.
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.
2019 NCBWA Division III Players of the Week:
Week ending Feb. 24: Tre D'Amico, Frostburg State (Hitter); Keith Long, Texas-Tyler (Pitcher); Andrew Santobuono, Alfred State (Rookie)
Week ending March 3: Deauton Delgado, Louisiana College (Hitter); David Hall, Belhaven (Pitcher); Casey Jones, St. Vincent College (Rookie)
Week ending March 10: Davis Mikell, Castleton (Hitter); Jake Binder, Ithaca (Pitcher); Jacob Thompson, Oberlin (Rookie)
Week ending March 17: Holden Bridge, Swarthmore (Hitter); Tyler Showers, Arcadia (Pitcher); Colton Lineman, Grove City (Rookie)
Week ending March 24: Preston Ludwick, Centenary (Hitter); Brian Johnson, Springfield (Pitcher); Mason Sefcik, St. Norbert (Rookie)
Week ending March 31: Chris DeGiacomo, Johns Hopkins (Hitter); Chris Atwood, Wisconsin-Oshkosh (Pitcher); Jacob Thompson, Oberlin (Rookie)
Week ending April 7: Zack Smith, Salve Regina (Hitter); Worth Walrod, Suffolk (Pitcher); Nick Denove, Case Western Reserve (Rookie)
Week ending April 14: Christian Jones, Catholic (Hitter); Shayne Audet, New England College (Pitcher); Dylan Fashempour, UMass-Boston (Rookie)
Week ending April 21: Joey Stock, Saint John's, Minn. (Hitter); Connor Cook, Wisconsin-LaCrosse (Pitcher); Kyle Schaefer, Roger Williams (Rookie)
Week ending April 28: Colin BeVard, Cortland (Hitter); Matt OSullivan, Wisconsin-Whitewater (Pitcher); Damen Castillo, Benedictine (Rookie)
Week ending May 5: Eric Devore, Heidelberg (Hitter); Ryan Loutos Washington (Pitcher); Kobe Rogerson, Husson (Rookie)
|