NCBWA NAMES DIVISION IIINATIONAL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

DALLAS (NCBWA) Outfielder Kevin Brashears of Shenandoah University and no-hit hurler Matt McAllister of Pennsylvania State University-Abington have earned the first NCAA Division III National Hitter and Pitcher of the Week honors for 2011, covering games of February 28-March 6, as voted on by a panel of D-III members of the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.


Brashears, a senior center fielder from Hagerstown, Md., hit .667 (12-for-18) with 11 runs scored, four RBI, five doubles, two home runs, a 1.278 slugging percentage, four walks and one stolen base in a 4-0 week for the Hornets. In a 17-6 win over Franklin & Marshall, he was a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs scored, one run batted in, two doubles, two walks and a stolen base. In an 11-4 victory over Bridgewater, he was 4-for-6 with one run scored and two doubles. In a two-game sweep of USA South rival North Carolina Wesleyan, he was a combined 5-for-9 with seven runs scored, three RBI, two home runs, one double and one walk. Brashears was named the USA South Player of the Week.


McAllister, a freshman from Warminster, Pa., and Archbishop Wood High School, gave the Nittany Lions their only victory in a 1-6 start by pitching the first no-hitter of the Division III season in only his second career start as Penn State-Abington defeated Wilkes 4-0. In the complete-game effort, he struck out seven batters and allowed only one walk, evening his record at 1-1 and lowering his earned run average to 1.50 with his first career shutout. McAllister was named the North Eastern Athletic Conference Student-Athlete of the Week.


Honorable Mention Hitters: Daniel Putnam (Wisconsin-Whitewater) - .889 (8-9), 1 double, 6 runs, 3 stolen bases, 1.000 slugging pct.; Brandon Benton (Mississippi College) - .600 (9-15), 2 doubles, 3 home runs, 10 RBI, 1.333 slugging pct.; Rob Benedict (Wesley) - .538 (7-13), 1 triple, 2 RBI, 3 runs, 5 stolen bases, .615 slugging pct.; Chris Ballester (Rutgers-Newark) - .667 (6-9), 1 double, 1 triple, 2 home runs, 7 RBI, 3 runs, 1.600 slugging pct.; Oscar Ibieta (Schreiner) - .636 (7-11), 1 double, 2 home runs, 6 RBI, 7 runs, 1.278 slugging pct.; Travis Lee (Franklin) - .667 (8-12), 1 double, 1 home run, 4 RBI, 3 runs, 1.000 slugging pct.


Honorable Mention Pitchers: Mark Tanis (Centenary NJ) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 6.2 ip, 1 hit, 8 strikeouts; Chance Ryan (Mary Hrdin-Baylor) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 8.0 ip, 1 cg, 3 hits, 8 strikeouts; Matt Rogers (Western New England) - 1-0, 1.29 ERA, 7.0 ip, 1 cg, 8 hits, 1 strikeout; Sean Chitsaz (Christopher Newport) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 8.0 ip, 3 hits, 10 strikeouts; Kevin Caldell (Piedmont) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 8.0 ip, 3 hits, 8 strikeouts; Steve Cox (Concordia-Chicago) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 6.0 ip, 3 hits, 4 strikeouts; Chris Cutcher (Keene State) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 6.0 ip, 3 hits, 11 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.


2011 NCBWA Division III Players of the Week:

March 6: Kevin Brashears, Shenandoah
(Hitter); Matt McAllister of Penn State-Abington (Pitcher)


· March 13: Michael Pascarella, Pittsburgh-Bradford
(Hitter); Lee Schurlknight, Sewanee (Pitcher)


· March 20: Jonathan Mason, Bridgewater
(Hitter); Josh Scott, Baldwin-Wallace (Pitcher)


· March 27: Dan Haugh, Wheaton (Hitter);
Mike McManus, Mt. St. Vincent's (Pitcher)


· April 3: Trent Svehla, Simpson (Hitter);
Mark DiTomasso, Western New England (Pitcher)


· April 10: Ryan Darner, Thomas More
(Hitter); Travis Ratliff, SUNY-Cortland (Pitcher)


· April 17: Brandon O'Connell, Wisconsin-Stout
(Hitter); Sean White, Dickinson (Pitcher)


· April 24: John Snyder, Marietta (Hitter);
Mike Russo, Kean (Pitcher)


· May 1: Matt Bittner, Penn State-Behrend
(Hitter); Max Henry, Saint Vincent (Pitcher)


· May 8: Mike Nodzenski, Grinnell (Hitter);
Joe Sweeney, Illinois Wesleyan (Pitcher)