DeSales University's Nolan Neiman was named the National Hitter of the Week, while University of St. Thomas junior Sean Lindstrom won the Pitcher of the Week honors. A panel of Division III NCBWA members reviews candidates from each Division III Conference each week and names winners each Tuesday throughout the season.
Neiman batted a team-high .667 in leading DeSales to a 6-1 record and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Freedom Conference playoffs last week. He totaled 12 hits in 16-at-bats, scored six runs, and had a team-high nine RBI out of the No. 9 spot in the batting order. He also walked four times and was hit by pitch twice to record a .750 on-base percentage during the week. His best game of the week came against Division II East Stroudsburg when he went 4-for-6 with three runs scored and four RBI.
Lindstrom had two complete-game victories, winning two tight games, and allowed no earned runs and just four hits in 16 innings, to help the Tommies move into sole possession of the MIAC lead. He allowed just a bunt single in Tuesday's nine-inning, 1-0 win over St. Mary's (9 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 3 BB, 6 SO). He allowed three hits and one unearned run in Sunday's 3-1 win over Gustavus – a game tied until the bottom of the sixth inning (7 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 2 SO). He retired 16 of the last 17 batters. Lindstrom leads the conference in ERA – in three starts he's 3-0 with no earned runs in 22.2 innings. The Tommies, 23-7-1 overall and 14-2 in the conference, have clinched a playoff berth for the fourth year in a row.