DALLAS (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association released its NCAA Division II National Players of the Week awards for the week ending on May 3. Wayne State (Neb.) junior infielder Aaron Krier is the National Hitter of the Week, while Northwest Missouri State junior pitcher Nikko Pablo is the National Pitcher of the Week.
Krier (Auerila, Iowa) hit .652 for the week going 15-for-23 in six games with two homers and 12 RBI. He scored nine runs in six games and had 1.087 slugging percentage with four multi-hit games. He went 4-for-4 with a homer, four RBI and three runs scored in 15-14 win over Southwest Minnesota State Saturday. Krier was 4-for-5 with a homer, a double, two RBI and four runs scored in 10-6 win over SMSU Saturday. In the four-game SMSU series, he recorded 12 RBI going 11-for-14 with eight runs scored, while going 3-for-4 with a double and a RBI in 5-1 loss to Sioux Falls on Tuesday.
Pablo (Stockton, Calif.) threw the third no-hitter in Northwest history on Tuesday, April 26, against Missouri Western. Pablo threw a complete game, allowing just one walk while striking out six. The game featured a 49 minute rain delay between the eighth and ninth innings. The wait didn't phase Pablo who struck out the side in the ninth. The 5-7 junior is a native of Stockton, Calif. where he competed at Ronald E. McNair High School.
Division II Regional Players of the Week:
Atlantic: Austin Alonge, Mercyhurst (Hitter); Marcus Shippey, Shippensburg (Pitcher)
· Central: Aaron Krier, Wayne State (Neb.) (Hitter); Nikko Pablo, Northwest Missouri State (Pitcher)
· East: Robert Vani, Adelphi (Hitter); Paul Covelle, Franklin Pierce (Pitcher)
· Midwest: Tad Sobieszczanski, Hillsdale (Hitter); Alex Kinch, Wayne State (Mich.) (Pitcher)
· South: Troy Sieber, Saint Leo (Hitter); Donovan Armas, Lynn (Pitcher)
· South Central: J.D. Arrowood (Hitter); Joel Lamont, New Mexico Highlands (Pitcher)
· Southeast: Will Albertson, Catawba (Hitter); Bruce Zimmerman, Mount Olive (Pitcher)
· West: Matt Urukami, Cal State Monterey Bay (Hitter); Jordan Kurokawa, Hawaii-Hilo (Pitcher)
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.
2016 NCBWA Division II Players of the Week:
Week ending Feb. 16: Brett Wilhelm, Lubbock Christian (Hitter); Brooks Trujillo, West Texas A&M (Pitcher)
· Week ending Feb. 23: Andrew Vogelbaugh, Pittsburg State (Hitter); Guillaume Blanchette, Lubbock Christian (Pitcher)
· Week ending March 1: Blaise Warrick, Arkansas-Fort Smith (Hitter); Ben Criscuolo, Southern New Hampshire (Pitcher)
· Week ending March 8: Matt Piatt, Tampa (Hitter); Mark Delas, Findlay (Pitcher)
· Week ending March 15: Troy Sieber, St. Leo University (Hitter); Robbie Gordon, Maryville (Pitcher)
· Week ending March 22: Dylan Cook, Georgia College (Hitter); Logan Johnson, Fairmont State (Pitcher)
· Week ending March 29: Chance Bowden, Catawba (Hitter); Greg Stagani, West Liberty (Pitcher)
· Week ending April 5: Zach Hoffmann, St. Cloud State (Hitter); Placido Torres, Tusculum (Pitcher)
· Week ending April 12: Reese Gregory, St. Cloud State (Hitter); Tanner Herdt, Colorado Mesa (Pitcher)
· Week ending April 19: J.P Sorma, Ashland (Hitter); Mason Mayberry, Findlay (Pitcher)
· Week ending April 26: Alex Wojciechowski, Minnesota-Duluth (Hitter); Alex Kelley, Francis Marion (Pitcher)
· Week ending May 3: Aaron Krier, Wayne State (Hitter); Nikko Pablo, Northwest Missouri State (Pitcher)
· Week ending May 10: Cale Giddings, Lake Erie (Hitter); Colin Gossard, Findlay (Pitcher)