Brett Van Asdlen, Aurora

A single-game RBI record for Brett Van Asdlen of Aurora and a fine effort against a nationally-ranked opponent by Bill Oppriecht of the UW-Platteville have earned them the 10th and final NCAA Division III National Hitter and Pitcher of the Week honors for April 29-May 6 as voted on by a panel of D-III members of the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

D3baseball.com Team of the Week

Asdlen, a senior first baseman from Minooka, Ill., led the 19th-ranked Spartans to a 3-0 week and their first Northern Athletics Conference regular-season championship in the six years of the conference and 21st title overall. He hit .692 (9-for-13) with five home runs, one double, 15 runs batted in, and six runs scored, finishing the week with a 1.923 slugging percentage and a .643 on-base percentage. In Aurora's 25-1 win over Dominican, he hit three home runs, with a grand slam in the first inning, a two-run shot in the second, and a three-run blast in the fourth. His 10 runs batted in for the game broke a single-game Aurora record that dated back to 1996.  Van Asdlen was the Northern Athletics Conference Position Player of the Week

Bill Oppriecht, UW-Platteville

Oppriecht, a junior right-hander from Seneca, Wis., pitched his second straight complete game in the Pioneers' 1-0 win over 14th-ranked Wisconsin-Stevens Point on May 4.  He allowed just six hits, two for extra bases, and walked four, but kept the hard-hitting Pointers off the scoreboard by striking out seven and stranding nine runners, starting the Pioneers off on their first doubleheader sweep of UWSP since 1996.  Oppriecht was named the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week.

Honorable Mention Hitters: Marty Herum (Wisconsin-Whitewater) - .533 (16-30), 4 doubles, 1 home run, 18 RBIs, 7 runs, .767 slugging pct.; Aaron Helland (Defiance) - .583 (7-12), 2 doubles, 7 RBIs, 4 runs, 5 stolen bases, .917 slugging pct.; Kyle McClain (Washington & Jefferson) - .533 (16-30), 1 double, 1 triple, 7 RBIs, 8 runs, .600 slugging pct.; Taylor Perun (Western New England) - .444 (8-18) - 1 double, 1 triple, 1 home run, 3 RBIs, 4 runs, .778 slugging pct.; Tyler Smarslok (Kean) - .556 (5-9), 1 double, 6 RBIs, 1 run, .667 slugging pct.; John Carey (Southern  Maine) - .533 (8-15), 1 double, 5 RBIs, .600 slugging pct.; Sam Tajiri  (Messiah) - .429 (6-14), 2 doubles, 1 RBIs, 4 runs, .571 slugging pct.

Honorable Mention Pitchers: Tyler Erickson (Castleton State) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 9.0 ip, 1 cg, 4 hits, 11 strikeouts; Dan LaRocca (Ramapo) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 9.0 ip, 1 cg, 4 hits, 4 strikeouts; Ryan Larson (Linfield) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 9.0 ip, 1 cg, 4 hits, 7 strikeouts; David Hoey (Rhode Island College) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 9.0 ip, 1 cg, 4 hits, 6 strikeouts; Dakota Aker (Castleton State) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 9.0 ip, 1 cg, 4 hits, 6 strikeouts; Alex Raver (Wisconsin Lutheran) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 9.0 ip, 1 cg, 1 hit, 2 strikeouts; Tommy Bergjans (Haverford)- 1-0, 1.00 ERA, 9.0 ip, 1 cg, 5 hits, 7 strikeouts; Brian Ranta (George Fox) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 9.0 ip, 1 cg, 7 hits, 11 strikeouts

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)
Mar. 12-18             Hitter of the Week: Gregg Steinman (Moravian)
                              Pitcher of the Week: Steve Maher (St. Thomas MN)
Mar. 19-25             Hitter of the Week: Bruce Maxwell (Birmingham-Southern)
                              Pitcher of the Week: Brian Ranta (George Fox)
Mar. 26-Apr. 1        Hitter of the Week: Dan Fiorito (Manhattanville)
                              Pitcher of the Week: Jarrett Gish (Case Western Reserve)
Apr. 2-8                  Hitter of the Week: Matt Thompson (McMurry)
                              Pitcher of the Week: Jhonneris Perez (Suffolk)
Apr. 9-15                Hitter of the Week: Kyle Cook (Centre)
                              Pitcher of the Week: Kyle Cunningham-Rhoads (Wooster)
Apr. 16-22              Hitter of the Week: Ethan Moser (DeSales)
                              Pitcher of the Week: Tyler Erickson (Castleton State)
Apr. 23-29              Hitter of the Week: Tim Saunders (Marietta)
                              Pitcher of the Week: Kyle Szatrowski (Massachusetts-Boston)
Apr. 30-May 6        Hitter of the Week: Brett Van Asdlen (Aurora)
                              Pitcher of the Week: Bill Oppriecht (Wisconsin-Platteville)

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