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Zack Smith, Salve Regina, Worth Walrod, Suffolk, and Nick Denove, |
For the sixth time in seven weeks, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Div. III Rookie of the Week went to a freshman from the Mideast Region, while a no-hitter and a six-long ball week took home the Pitcher and Hitter of the Week honors for games spanning April 1-7.
D3baseball.com Team of the Week 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
HITTER OF WEEK
Zack Smith, a senior first baseman and outfielder for Salve Regina University, enjoyed an absolutely prolific power week with six home runs and 12 RBI in six contests. Smith, who added four doubles and scored 12 times, batted an impressive .560 (14-for-25) with a .533 on-base percentage and a monstrous 1.440 slugging percentage. The slugger opened the week by slamming a pair of round-trippers in a 5-3 non-conference win against Rhode Island College. He added four more homers in a doubleheader split with Commonwealth Coast Conference rival Western New England University, including three in the opener. In conference play, Smith batted .786 (11-for-14) with four home runs, six RBI, and a 1.929 slugging percentage in three games.
Honorable Mention Hitter: Will Welsh, Sr., OF, Lancaster Bible College – The Chargers’ senior outfielder went 10-for-14 at the plate for a .714 batting average with four home runs, nine runs scored, 13 RBI, and five walks during a three-game sweep against Gallaudet University. In the final game of the weekend, Welsh went 4-for-4 with three long balls to finish the week with a 1.571 slugging percentage.
Past Winners:
Week 1: Tre D'Amico, Frostburg State
Week 2: Deauton Delgado, Louisiana College
Week 3: Davis Mikell, Castleton
Week 4: Holden Bridge, Swarthmore
Week 5: Preston Ludwick, Centenary (La.)
Week 6: Chris DeGiacomo, Johns Hopkins
PITCHER OF WEEK
Suffolk University senior Worth Walrod tossed a no-hitter in the opening game of Sunday’s Great Northeast Athletic Conference double-dip with Anna Maria College. The southpaw matched his career-high with 10 strikeouts, and needed 111 pitches to become the first Suffolk hurler to pitch a no-no since Jhonneris Mendez did so seven years earlier to the day in a 3-0 win over Lasell College.
Honorable Mention Pitcher: Cole Christensen, Sr., Concordia College (Minnesota) – Earned victories in two of Concordia’s three games last week. He pitched eight shutout innings against Augsburg University on Monday and then came back to throw seven innings and only allow one run in the Cobbers’ victory at Macalester College on Saturday. Christensen fanned 12 batters versus the Auggies and then 11 more against the Scots to bring his Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference-leading total to 42.
Past Winners:
Week 1: Keith Long, Texas-Tyler
Week 2: David Hall, Belhaven
Week 3: Jake Binder, Ithaca
Week 4: Tyler Showers, Arcadia
Week 5: Brian Johnson, Springfield
Week 6: Chris Atwood, UW-Oshkosh
ROOKIE OF WEEK
Case Western Reserve University’s Nick Denove threw a complete-game shutout in a 6-0 win over New York University in the second game of the Spartans’ sweep on Saturday. Denove limited the Violets to five hits and two walks, while throwing just 91 pitches and allowing only one runner past second base in the nine-inning game.
Past Winners:
Week 1: Andrew Santobuono, Alfred State
Week 2: Casey Jones, St. Vincent
Week 3: Jacob Thompson, Oberlin
Week 4: Colton Lineman, Grove City
Week 5: Mason Sefcik, St. Norbert
Week 6: Jacob Thompson, Oberlin
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 and writing contests.