DALLAS (NCBWA) Member institutions from the Southern
Collegiate Athletic Conference, Middle Atlantic Conference, and
Capital Athletic Conference earned the first NCAA Div. III weekly
accolades awarded by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association
in 2020. This week's honorees were recognized for performances spanning
February 17-23.
Hitter of the Week: Schreiner University's Devin
Hooper was named the SCAC's Hitter of the Week after going 13-for-16
at the dish. The sophomore designated hitter helped Schreiner to
a 5-0 week. He had five doubles and two home runs among his 13 hits
to slug 1.500 for the week. Hooper drove in 14 runs and scored 11
times as the Mountaineers exploded for 71 runs over the five games.
Honorable Mention Hitter: Max Ruvo, So., OF, Washington
College Opened the 2020 season by going 6-for-8 at the plate with
four triples, one double, nine RBI, 15 total bases, and three runs
scored in a 1-1 week for the Shoremen. Ruvo drove in a career-best
five runs as he went 4-for-5 with two triples, a double, and two
runs scored against Mount Saint Mary College (N.Y.) on Saturday.
On Sunday, in a 15-0 win versus Utica College, he went 2-for-3 with
two triples, four RBI, a walk, and a stolen base. He slugged 1.875
and had a .778 on-base percentage.
Pitcher of the Week: Misericordia University's
Ian McCole tossed a complete-game, three-hit shutout in a 1-0 win
at 11th-ranked Kean University on Saturday. McCole, a junior, struck
out seven and didn't allow a runner past first base after the first
inning.
Honorable Mention Pitcher: Matthew Williams,
Sr., Concordia University Texas Became the winningest pitcher
in program history on Friday, when his team shut out Belhaven University
8-0. Tossed 7 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing only five hits, and
set a new career-high in strikeouts (14) for the second game in
a row. Williams now has 28 wins in his career and reached double-digit
strikeouts for the second time this season. Williams is now a five-time
American Southwest Conference Pitcher of the Week.
Rookie of the Week: In his first collegiate
start, 13th-ranked Salisbury University's Jackson Balzan picked
up the win during his team's 11-0 victory over Immaculata University
on Wednesday. He struck out 11 batters in six innings of work. The
lefty allowed only one hit and two walks.
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.
2020 NCBWA Division III Players of the Week:
Week ending Feb. 23: Devin Hooper, Schreiner (Hitter); Ian McCole, Misericordia (Pitcher); Jackson Balzan, Salisbury (Rookie)
Week ending March 1: Derek Hurt, Maryville (Hitter); Ryan Boyer, Pitt-Bradford (Pitcher); Ian Metzger, William Paterson (Rookie)
Week ending March 8: Michael Leri, Lebanon Valley (Hitter); Matthew DAmbrosia, Muhlenberg (Pitcher); Rian Schwede, Endicott and Harutaro Takahashi, New England College (Rookie)
Week ending March 15: Aaron Spidell, College of Wooster (Hitter); Kaelen Close, Colby-Sawyer (Pitcher); Tyler Horvat, Washington & Jefferson (Rookie)
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