DALLAS (NCBWA) – The National Collegiate
Baseball Writers Association released its NCAA Division
II National Players of the Week awards for the week
ending on Feb. 13. Colorado Mesa sophomore second baseman
Harrison Rodgers is the National Hitter
of the Week and Hawaii Pacific sophomore righty
Jack O'Brien is the National Pitcher of the
Week with the first perfect game of the season.
Rodgers (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch HS) went off in the
season opening weekend sweep of Azusa Pacific. Rodgers batted
.625 (10-for-16) with ten runs scored and six home runs (28
total bases). He also drove in 14 runs and had an OPS north of
2.400. In the season opener, he was 4-for-4 with four runs
scored, six runs driven in and hit three home runs. In game two
of the weekend, he hit two more home runs.
O'Brien (San Diego, Calif./Palomar CC) threw a perfect game
on Friday against Providence Christian College from southern
California. His debut for Hawai`i Pacific earns a perfect 10 as
he struck out 10 batters in a 10-0 victory for the Sharks.
O'Brien retired all 21 batters he faced in just 80 pitches to
help the Sharks earn a four-game sweep against Providence
Christian. O'Brien struck out the first two batters of the game
looking and then got a flyout on the first pitch to quickly get
through the first inning. He then struck out the side in order
in the second inning, and recorded two more strikeouts in the
third inning for a total of seven strikeouts in his first time
through the batting lineup. He needed just seven pitches to get
through the fourth inning and added another punchout. Then in
the sixth inning, he recorded his ninth strikeout and got a
first-pitch groundout to remain perfect. His last batter faced
was the longest at-bat of the game in a nine-pitch strikeout to
finish the perfect game.
Division II Regional Players of the Week: •
Atlantic: Anthony Torreullas, East Stroudsburg (Hitter); Austin
Crebs, Shepherd (Pitcher) •
Central: David Valches, Henderson State (Hitter); Jake Dykoff,
Minnesota-Crookston (Pitcher) •
East: No Nominees •
Midwest: No Nominees •
South: Grayson Swanson, Union (Tenn.) (Hitter); Michael Paul,
Tampa (Pitcher) •
South Central: Harrison Rodgers, Colorado Mesa (Hitter); Tyler
Blomster, Colorado School of Mines (Pitcher) •
Southeast: Wade Cuda, Lenoir-Rhyne (Hitter); Ben Gilks, Catawba
(Pitcher) •
West: Otto Kemp, Point Loma (Hitter); Jack O'Brien, Hawaii
Pacific (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.
2022 NCBWA Division II Players of the Week:
• Week ending Feb. 6: Duncan Pastore, Nova Southeastern (Hitter); Justin Fuson, Fresno Pacific (Pitcher)
• Week ending Feb. 13: Harrison Rodgers, Colorado Mesa (Hitter); Jack O'Brien, Hawaii Pacific (Pitcher)
• Week ending Feb. 20: Brock Reller, Northeastern State (Hitter); Jeremy Adorno, Southern Arkansas (Pitcher)
• Week ending Feb. 27: Zion Pettigrew, Illinois-Springfield (Hitter); Dominic Proietto, Kutztown (Pitcher)
• Week ending March 6: Lewis Beals, Hillsdale (Hitter); Dylan Miller, Point Loma (Pitcher)
• Week ending March 13: Kade Self, Oklahoma Baptist (Hitter); Kannon Handy, Colorado Mesa (Pitcher)
• Week ending March 20: Sean Johnson, Belmont Abbey (Hitter); Lawson Isaacs, Central Oklahoma (Pitcher)
• Week ending March 27: Drey Dirksen, Augustana (Hitter); Mason Philley, Arkansas-Monticello (Pitcher)
• Week ending April 3: Enzo Bonventre, Southwestern Oklahoma State (Hitter); Brody McCullough, Wingate (Pitcher)
• Week ending April 10: Brennen van Breusegen, Central Missouri (Hitter); Dylan Brosky, California, Pa. (Pitcher)
• Week ending April 17: Caleb Stubbings, Colorado-Colorado Springs (Hitter); Colt Webb, Charleston (Pitcher)
• Week ending April 24: Joey Polak, Maryville (Hitter); Luke Tupy, St. Cloud State (Pitcher)
• Week ending May 1: Ben Gobbel, Belmont Abbey (Hitter); Jack Gonzales, Point Loma (Pitcher)
• Week ending May 8: Luke Folsom, Colorado School of Mines (Hitter); Thomas Jones, Rockhurst (Pitcher)
|