NCBWA NAMES DIVISION IINATIONAL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Contact Kit Strief
kstrief@valdosta.edu
229-333-5903

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 30. Northwest Missouri State junior second baseman Mondesi Gutierrez is the National Hitter of the Week, while Davenport (Mich.) junior lefty Grant Wolfram is the National Pitcher of the Week.

Gutierrez, from San Diego, Calif., was a major factor in helping the Bearcats go 4-0 on the week. In his four games, he batted .588 with ten total hits, ten runs scored, three doubles, one triple, nine RBIs, and he hit three home runs. Gutierrez finished the weekend slugging 1.412.

Wolfram, a native Hamilton, Mich., tossed his first career no-hitter against Ashland. It was the first no-hitter at DU in six years and Wolfram also struck out a DU record 13 batters in seven innings. Wolfram allowed just two base runners with a first-inning walk and he hit a batter in the third inning. He retired the final 13 batters he faced and fanned the side in the seventh to set the record and struck out eight in the final four innings. Wolfram needed just 95 pitches to reach the milestone and hit the strike zone with 65 pitches. Wolfram is 4-0 in his last four starts with a 1.67 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 27 innings.

Division II Regional Players of the Week:
Atlantic: Shane Dressler, West Chester (Hitter); David Cricks, Gannon (Pitcher)
· Central: Mondesi Gutierrez, Northwest Missouri State (Hitter); Justin Clark, Southwest Minnesota State (Pitcher)
· East: Louis Antos, Queens (N.Y.) (Hitter); P.J. Browne, Merrimack (Pitcher)
· Midwest: Cody Birdsong, Qunicy (Hitter); Grant Wolfram, Davenport (Pitcher)
· South: Aaron Haughton, Valdosta State (Hitter); Cas Silber, Montevallo (Pitcher)
· South Central: Jordan Stubbings, Colorado Mesa (Hitter); Blake Holub, St. Edward's (Pitcher)
· Southeast: Seth Hunt, Lincoln Memorial (Hitter); Ethan Elliott, Lincoln Memorial (Pitcher)
· West: Micah Pries, Point Loma (Hitter); Casey Costello, Chico 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.