DALLAS (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association released the 2018 NCAA Division II National Players of the Week awards for the week ending on April 2. Mars Hill junior catcher Matt Honeycutt is the National Hitter of the Week, while Southwest Baptist (Mo.) sophomore pitcher Dalton Morrow is the National Pitcher of the Week.
Honeycutt, a native of China Grove, N.C., led the Lions to a 4-2 record last week, including a three-game SAC sweep of Coker. He was nearly unstoppable at the plate, hitting .667 with seven of his 14 hits going for extra bases. He had six home runs and a double, scoring 10 runs and driving in 14 runs for the week. He also posted a 1.571 slugging percentage and a .724 on-base percentage.
Morrow, a native of Willard, Mo., was unhittable in his lone start of the week. Against Northeastern State, he fired a complete game shutout with a career-high 14 strikeouts. He also allowed just five baserunners to reach all game via three hits and two walks. Morrows dominant start improved his record to 6-1, lowered his season ERA to 2.92, dropped his opponents· batting average to .207, and raised his innings pitched to an MIAA leading 61.2.
Division II Regional Players of the Week:
Atlantic: Gianfranco Morello, Charleston (W.V.) (Hitter); Ashton Raines, Bloomsburg (Pitcher)
· Central: Riley Hickerson, Arkansas Tech (Hitter); Dalton Morrow, Southwest Baptist (Pitcher)
· East: Matt Diesel, Felician (Hitter); Matt Costanza, American International (Pitcher)
· Midwest: Buddy Johnson, Southern Indiana (Hitter); Will Kruse, Hillsdale (Pitcher)
· South: Jordan Howard, Lee (Hitter); Devin Conn, Nova Southeastern (Pitcher)
· South Central: Bradley Mathiowetz, Angelo State (Hitter); Brad Thoutt, Regis (Pitcher)
· Southeast: Matt Honeycutt, Mars Hill (Hitter); D.J. Laxton, Catawba (Pitcher)
· West: Kade Hall, Montana State Billings (Hitter); Joe Ryan, Stanislaus State (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.
2018 NCBWA Division II Players of the Week:
Week ending Feb. 19: Austin Norman, Fairmont State (Hitter); Dillon Cate, Carson-Newman (Pitcher)
· Week ending Feb. 26: Chance Bowden, Catawba (Hitter); Jumpei Akanuma, Lee University (Pitcher)
· Week ending March 5: Andrew Taft, LeMoyne (Hitter); Dan Wirchansky, Pace (Pitcher)
· Week ending March 12: Francisco Rodriguez, Tarleton State (Hitter); Kyle Leahy, Colorado Mesa (Pitcher)
· Week ending March 19: Zack Shannon, Delta State (Hitter); Josh Gaworski, Concordia-St. Paul (Pitcher)
· Week ending March 26: Nick Atkinson, Shepherd (Hitter); Adam Riggleman, Glenville State (Pitcher)
· Week ending April 2: Matt Honeycutt, Mars Hill (Hitter); Dalton Morrow, Southwest Baptist (Pitcher)
· Week ending April 9: Mikey Gangwish, Colorado School of Mines (Hitter); Kyle Flessner, Purdue Northwest (Pitcher)
· Week ending April 16: Ted DeSanti, Indiana, Pa. (Hitter); Ryan Murphy, LeMoyne (Pitcher)
· Week ending April 23: Griffin Baker, Belmont Abbey (Hitter); Clay Casey, Delta State (Pitcher)
· Week ending April 30: Mondesi Gutierrez, Northwest Missouri State (Hitter); Grant Wolfram, Davenport (Pitcher)