NCBWA NAMES DIVISION IIINATIONAL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

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DALLAS (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association had its first Div. III repeat winner of the 2019 season, as Oberlin College's Jacob Thompson was tabbed as the rookie for the second time, while a three-home run week and a no-hitter claimed the week six hitter and pitcher honors for games spanning March 25-31.

Hitter of the Week: Senior outfielder Chris DeGiacomo went 8-for-12 at the plate with three home runs, seven RBI, and eight runs scored in a 3-0 week for No. 11 Johns Hopkins University. Against the Catholic University of America, DeGiacomo went 4-for-6 with a home run, two RBI, and scored three times. He followed that up by going 4-for-6 in a doubleheader sweep against Muhlenberg College with two home runs and five RBI. The graduate student also worked two walks and posted a .714 on-base percentage and 1.583 slugging percentage for the week.

Honorable Mention Hitter: Juan Pena, Jr., RF, New Jersey City University Had a huge week as the Gothic Knights went 3-1 and won for the ninth time in 11 games. Hit .588 (10-for-17), drove in eight, and stole eight bases in nine chances. Pena hit safely in every game and had multiple hits in three of the outings. He ignited the charge when NJCU tied a single-game school record in stolen bases (9) with four against Baruch College, and batted 2-for-5 with a run and RBI. He finished a double shy of the cycle against the State University of New York College at Old Westbury. Pena had undoubtedly the most electric play of the day · an inside-the-park homer to left center with two outs in the seventh.

Pitcher of the Week: University of Wisconsin Oshkosh senior Chris Atwood registered the 10th no-hitter in program history during the Titans' 8-0 victory over visiting Finlandia University on March 31. Atwood threw only 88 pitches and retired 27 of the 29 Lions he faced. Atwood struck out a career-high 13 batters, including two in the first, second, eighth, and ninth innings. Only two Lions reached first against Atwood Isaac Rodriguez on a passed ball following a strikeout in the eighth inning, and Devonte Fleming, who was hit by a pitch in the eighth. Atwood's no-hitter was Wisconsin-Oshkosh's first since right-hander Tom Petri held Lyon College (Arkansas) hitless on March 12, 1995. It's also the first no-hitter in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference since April 11, 2010.

Honorable Mention Pitcher: Adam Zuk, Jr., Millikin University Zuk, a junior pitcher, faced the minimum 24 batters in his eight innings pitched during a 4-0 shutout of Wheaton College (Illinois) on March 30. Zuk gave up just one hit, no walks, and struck out 13 batters while picking up his first victory of the season.

Rookie of the Week: Thompson closed out Oberlin's spring break trip on fire, hitting .692 over the final four games. Thompson went 9-for-13 last week with two doubles, two triples, and eight RBI. He totaled 15 bases and scored four runs while slugging 1.154. Thompson, who had an on-base percentage of .667, had two or more hits in each game and now leads the team with nine multi-hit games.

Thompson was previously the NCBWA Div. III Rookie of the Week for the week ending March 10.

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 Dick Howser Player of the Year Award, Regional Player of the Year and NCBWA All-America voting. The NCBWA also sponsors preseason All-America awards, publication and writing contests.