DALLAS (NCBWA) – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association released its NCAA Division II National Players of the Week awards for the week ending on March 21, 2021. Shippensburg junior catcher/infielder Ben Werkheiser is the National Hitter of the Week and Lee University redshirt junior Logan Workman is the National Pitcher of the Week.

Werkheiser (Doylestown, Pa./Germantown Academy) was 8-for-12 (.667) with five home runs, seven RBI’s, three walks and six runs in four games against Shepherd. In a Saturday Game one victory, Werkheiser homered in each of his first two at-bats. Shipp scored five runs in the first two innings and rode that early momentum to a 5-3 win. At Shepherd on Sunday, Werkheiser homered three times, going 5-for-6 with five RBI’s, two walks and four runs scored. He reached base in his first seven plate appearances of the doubleheader, including home runs in back-to-back at bats in game two. For the week, he reached base in 11-of-15 plate appearances (.733 OBP) and averaged just short of a double per at bat (1.917 slugging percentage).

Workman (Soddy Daisy, Tenn./Soddy Daisy HS) picked up the win in the first game of the series with Montevallo. He struck out 15 of the 23 batters he faced in 7.0 innings of work, only giving up one hit and allowing no walks.

Division II Regional Players of the Week:
• Atlantic: Ben Werkheiser, Shippensburg (Hitter); Chad Cooperman, Bloomsburg (Pitcher)
• Central: Josh Schumacher, Central Missouri (Hitter); Brock Gilliam, Washburn (Pitcher)
• East: Randy Flores, Franklin Pierce (Hitter); Eric Sandusky, Dominican College (Pitcher)
• Midwest: Brendan Spaulding, Walsh (Hitter); Chad Patrick, Purdue Northwest (Pitcher)
• South: Dan Oberst, West Georgia (Hitter); Logan Workman, Lee University (Pitcher)
• South Central: Bill Ralston, Metro State (Hitter); Trent Baker, Angelo State (Pitcher)
• Southeast: Brian Forbes, Limestone (Hitter); Cade Heil, North Georgia (Pitcher)
• West: Daniel Cipriano, Montana State Billings (Hitter); Robert Hernandez Jr., Holy Names (Pitcher)

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 Howser Award Player of the Year, Regional Player of the Year and NCBWA All-America voting. The NCBWA also sponsors preseason All-America awards, publication and writing contests.

2021 NCBWA Division II Players of the Week:
• Week ending Feb. 14: Brady Eeles, North Georgia (Hitter); Parker Morrison, North Georgia (Pitcher)
• Week ending Feb. 21: Tucker Greer, Young Harris (Hitter); Andrew Patrick, Lenoir-Rhyne (Pitcher)
• Week ending Feb. 28: Ethan Baucom, UNC Pembroke (Hitter); Taylor Boisclair, Shorter (Pitcher)
• Week ending March 7: Haydn McGeary, Colorado Mesa (Hitter); Dylan Heid, Pitt-Johnstown (Pitcher)
• Week ending March 14: Connor Hamilton, Slippery Rock (Hitter); Tucker Smith, Georgia Southwestern (Pitcher)
• Week ending March 21: Ben Werkheiser, Shippensburg (Hitter); Logan Workman, Lee (Pitcher)
• Week ending March 28: Jonathan Martin, Georgia Southwestern (Hitter); Cade Crader, MSU Denver (Pitcher)
• Week ending April 4: Dusty Stroup, Central Missouri (Hitter); Austin DeRosa, Mercy (Pitcher)
• Week ending April 11: Kory Carter, Truman State (Hitter); Jonathan Draheim, Mary (Pitcher)
• Week ending April 18: Chris Iazzetta, Wheeling (Hitter); Joe Vail, Le Moyne (Pitcher)
• Week ending April 25: Nikko Calabro, Drury (Hitter); Chad Saner, Illinois-Springfield (Pitcher)
• Week ending May 2: Blayze Arcano, Western Oregon (Hitter); Ryan Jares, Augustana, S.D. (Pitcher)
• Week ending May 9: Tommy Pellis, Seton Hill (Hitter); Riley Martin, Quincy (Pitcher)
• Week ending May 16: Aaron Walters, Angelo State (Hitter); Andrew Morris, Colorado Mesa (Pitcher)