NCBWA NAMES DIVISION IIINATIONAL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

DALLAS (NCBWA) Member institutions of the Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth, Empire 8, and USA South conference picked up Hitter, Pitcher, and Rookie of the Week recognition for March 26-April 1.


Hitter of the Week: Tommy Epsaro, a junior third baseman from DeSales University, had a breakout week to lead the Bulldogs to a 4-0 record. Epsaro batted .583 (7-for-12) with four home runs, a double, two walks, 13 RBIs and six runs scored. The junior also recorded a 1.667 slugging percentage, a .643 on-base percentage and two stolen bases. He opened the week going 2-for-3 with two home runs, six RBIs and two runs scored in an 8-1 win over Montclair State. The Bethlehem, Pa., native finished the week going 5-for-9 with two home runs, a double, two walks, seven RBIs and four runs scored in a three-game series sweep of Eastern.


Honorable Mention Hitter: Colton Riley, Fr., 1B, Penn College - Batted .800 in a pair of wins for the Wildcats last week. In an 11-9 win over Cabrini, the freshman first baseman went 3-for-3 with two doubles, a home run, and three RBIs. Riley added a two-run home run in the second game against Cabrini to finish the week with five RBIs and six runs scored. Over the two games, Riley posted a .875 on-base percentage and a 2.400 slugging percentage.


Pitcher of the Week: Stevens Institute of Technology junior Charlie Ruegger turned in a masterful performance in the Ducks' 3-0 win over Canton March 30. The right-hander and Morris Plains, N.J., native allowed just one hit and struck out 15 in posting his first career shutout. Ruegger allowed just one ball to leave the infield, didn't walk a batter and fell behind just nine hitters on the evening. He also turned in one of the top defensive performances of the evening with a barehanded grab of Travis Schindler's sixth-inning dribbler and a perfect throw to nab the Canton leadoff hitter at first.


Honorable Mention Pitcher: Austin Heenan, Sr., Salisbury - Recorded 17 strikeouts and didn't allow any earned runs in a pair of wins last week. Heenan posted 7.0-inning outings in wins over Franklin & Marshall and No. 11 Frostburg State. He allowed only seven hits in his 14 innings on the mound.


Rookie of the Week: LaGrange College's Jack Layrisson, a native of Ponte Verde, Fla., went a combined 9-for-16 (.563) with a .579 on-base percentage and a .750 slugging percentage to go along with six runs scored, 12 RBI, one double, one triple, two walks and one stolen base as the Panthers notched a 3-1 record last week. In a 17-3 win over Oglethorpe, the infielder was 3-for-4 with one run scored, five RBI and one triple. In taking two games in a three-game series with USA South foe Piedmont, Layrisson was a combined 6-for-12 with five runs scored, seven RBI, one double, two walks and one stolen base.


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