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| Senior Kalamazoo outfielder Blake Bean Kalamazoo athletics photo by Kimberly Moss |
Student-athletes from institutions in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association, Commonwealth Coast Conference, and Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom had remarkable performances last week and claimed this week’s National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Div. III honors. This week’s honorees were recognized for performances spanning February 28 to March 6.
D3baseball.com Team of the Week
HITTER OF WEEK
Senior outfielder Blake Bean earned MIAA Position Player of the Week honors after assisting Kalamazoo College (Michigan) to four wins at Manchester College (Indiana) over the weekend, while setting program records for home runs in a game (3) and RBI in a game (8). Bean slashed .643/.700/1.714 over the four-game set. He was 9-for-14 at the dish with 12 runs, three doubles, four home runs, 16 RBI, and three stolen bases. He leads the MIAA in average, RBI, and home runs. With Bean leading the charge, Kalamazoo outscored Manchester 55-18 during the four-game sweep.
Honorable Mention Hitter: Ryan Dominick, Sr., INF, Wisconsin Lutheran College – Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Position Player of the Week after going 7-for-8 with five RBI, four home runs, and four runs scored in a season-opening doubleheader against Lawrence University (Wisconsin). The Warriors’ leadoff hitter hit four solo shots and was retired just once in 10 plate appearances.
PITCHER OF WEEK
Salve Regina University (Rhode Island) junior Dominic Perachi earned CCC Pitcher of the Week honors following seven innings of one-hit shutout baseball during the Seahawks’ 7-0 season-opening win over Johnson & Wales University (Rhode Island) on Saturday. The left-hander could not have scripted a better start to the season with an immaculate first inning, and he went on to strike out 16, including the side in the second and fifth innings. Perachi lost the no-hit bid on an infield single with one out in the sixth inning.
Honorable Mention Pitcher: Billy Oldham, Jr., Eastern Connecticut State University – Little East Conference Pitcher of the Week after a near-perfect seven innings of work in the ninth-ranked Warriors’ 5-0 season-opening win over Hood College (Maryland). Oldham allowed one hit and one walk while fanning 14 of the 23 batters he faced. The 14 strikeouts are a career-high.
ROOKIE OF WEEK
Wilkes University’s (Pennsylvania) Aiden Murphy was selected as the MAC Freedom Pitcher of the Week after he dominated on the mound for the Colonels. The first-year pitcher fired a seven-inning, complete-game, four-hit shutout during a 13-0 blanking of Norwich University of March 6. Murphy struck out 15, including the side in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. Twelve of the last 13 outs of the game came via strikeouts. Murphy is 1-0 on the year with a 0.00 ERA. He has worked 10 innings and has struck out 21.
2022 WINNERS
• Month of February: Jack Thomson, Lewis & Clark (Hitter); Sayers Collins, East Texas Baptist (Pitcher); Andrew Gryniewicz, Lesley (Rookie)
• Week ending March 6: Blake Bean, Kalamazoo (Hitter), Dominic Perachi, Salve Regina (Pitcher), Aiden Murphy, Wilkes (Rookie)
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 contests, and writing contests.