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Jackson Balzan (left), an left hander pitcher for Salisbury, |
Member institutions from the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, Middle Atlantic Conference, and Capital Athletic Conference earned the first NCAA Div. III weekly accolades awarded by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association in 2020. This week’s honorees were recognized for performances spanning February 17-23.
HITTER OF WEEK
Schreiner’s Devin Hooper was named the SCAC’s Hitter of the Week after going 13-for-16 at the dish. The sophomore designated hitter helped Schreiner to a 5-0 week. He had five doubles and two home runs among his 13 hits to slug 1.500 for the week. Hooper drove in 14 runs and scored 11 times as the Mountaineers exploded for 71 runs over the five games.
Honorable Mention Hitter: Max Ruvo, So., OF, Washington College – Opened the 2020 season by going 6-for-8 at the plate with four triples, one double, nine RBI, 15 total bases, and three runs scored in a 1-1 week for the Shoremen. Ruvo drove in a career-best five runs as he went 4-for-5 with two triples, a double, and two runs scored against Mount Saint Mary College (N.Y.) on Saturday. On Sunday, in a 15-0 win versus Utica College, he went 2-for-3 with two triples, four RBI, a walk, and a stolen base. He slugged 1.875 and had a .778 on-base percentage.
PITCHER OF WEEK
Misericordia University’s Ian McCole tossed a complete-game, three-hit shutout in a 1-0 win at 11th-ranked Kean University on Saturday. McCole, a junior, struck out seven and didn’t allow a runner past first base after the first inning.
Honorable Mention Pitcher: Matthew Williams, Sr., Concordia University Texas – Became the winningest pitcher in program history on Friday, when his team shut out Belhaven University 8-0. Tossed 7 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing only five hits, and set a new career-high in strikeouts (14) for the second game in a row. Williams now has 28 wins in his career and reached double-digit strikeouts for the second time this season. Williams is now a five-time American Southwest Conference Pitcher of the Week.
ROOKIE OF WEEK
In his first collegiate start, 13th-ranked Salisbury’s Jackson Balzan picked up the win during his team’s 11-0 victory over Immaculata University on Wednesday. He struck out 11 batters in six innings of work. The lefty allowed only one hit and two walks.
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.