Zach Hofer, Elmhurst

Infielder Zach Hofer of Elmhurst accounted for 23 runs in four games and Blaine O’Brien tossed a no-hitter for Keystone, earning NCAA Division III National Hitter and Pitcher of the Week honors respectively for the week of March 5-11 as voted on by a panel of D-III members of the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

Hofer, a senior infielder from Algonquin, Ill., batted .588 (10-for-17) with 10 runs scored, 15 RBI, two home runs, five doubles and a 1.353 slugging percentage as the Bluejays went 3-1 over the weekend.  In a doubleheader sweep of Capital, he finished a combined 5-for-8 at the plate with five runs scored and seven RBIs.  He added two doubles, a triple, and three stolen bases against the Crusaders.  In Sunday's doubleheader split with Hanover, he finished game one with a 3-for-4 day at the plate with a double and two home runs, including a grand slam. He scored three times and drove in five.  In the Bluejays' 16-6 win in game two, he roped a pair of doubles, scored two runs and drove in three.  Hofer was the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Player of the Week.

Blaine O’Brien, Keystone

In a week with numerous outstanding pitching performances, O’Brien, a senior from Scituate, Mass., stood out with Saturday’s 2-0 win over Penn State-Behrend.  The tall 6’6” right-hander worked a complete nine-inning game, allowing no hits and three walks while striking out 12.  It was the first no-hitter thrown by a Keystone player since 2005.  O’Brien was named the Colonial States Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week.

Honorable Mention Hitters: Cory Walden (Aurora) - .500 (12-24), 2 doubles, 4 home runs, 12 RBIs, 6 runs, 1.083 slugging pct.; Cody Stevenson (Webster) - .800 (8-9), 1 RBI, 2 runs, 2 stolen bases, .888 on base pct.; Alex Wong (Wentworth Tech) - .542 (13-24), 3 doubles, 4 triples, 9 RBIs, 8 runs, 4 stolen bases, 1.000 slugging pct.; Bruce Dunlap (Wilmington) - .581 (18-31), 3 doubles, 2 triples, 14 RBIs, 6 runs, .806 slugging pct.; Phil Valerio (SUNY-Old Westbury) - .521 (11-18), 1 double, 3 triples, 12 RBIs, 7 runs, 12 stolen bases, 1.000 slugging pct.; Christian Muscarello (Trinity TX) - .615 (8-13), 2 doubles, 1 home run, 6 RBIs, 5 runs, .706 on base pct., 1.000 slugging pct.

Honorable Mention Pitchers: Tanner Oakes (Augsburg) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 7.0 ip, 1 cg, 0 hits, 7 strikeouts; Mike Hughes (SUNY-Cortland) - 1-0, 0.77 ERA, 11.2 ip, 1 cg, 5 hits, 20 strikeouts; Chris Perry (Methodist) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 9.0 ip, 1 cg, 4 hit, 13 strikeouts; Taras Letnaunchyn (Elizabethtown) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 7.0 ip, 1 cg, 1 hit, 6 strikeouts; Kyle Van Vliet (Rutgers-Newark) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 9.0 ip, 1 cg, 6 hits, 12 strikeouts; Pat Havens (Baldwin-Wallace) - 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 10.0 ip, 2 hits, 19 strikeouts; Brad Orosey (Texas Lutheran) - 1-0, 0.00, 10.1 ip, 1 cg, 3 hits, 15 strikeouts

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.

2012 Winners:

Feb. 27-Mar. 4       Hitter of the Week: Andy King (Hamline)
                              Pitcher of the Week: Mitch Hunnicutt (Hanover)

Mar. 5-11               Hitter of the Week: Zach Hofer (Elmhurst)
                              Pitcher of the Week: Blaine O’Brien (Keystone)