DALLAS (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association released its NCAA Division II National Players of the Week awards for the week ending on Feb. 13. Colorado Mesa sophomore second baseman Harrison Rodgers is the National Hitter of the Week and Hawaii Pacific sophomore righty
Jack O'Brien is the National Pitcher of the Week with the first perfect game of the season.
Rodgers (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch HS) went off in the season opening weekend sweep of Azusa Pacific. Rodgers batted .625 (10-for-16) with ten runs scored and six home runs (28 total bases). He also drove in 14 runs and had an OPS north of 2.400. In the season opener, he was 4-for-4 with four runs scored, six runs driven in and hit three home runs. In game two of the weekend, he hit two more home runs.
O'Brien (San Diego, Calif./Palomar CC) threw a perfect game on Friday against Providence Christian College from southern California. His debut for Hawai`i Pacific earns a perfect 10 as he struck out 10 batters in a 10-0 victory for the Sharks. O'Brien retired all 21 batters he faced in just 80 pitches to help the Sharks earn a four-game sweep against Providence Christian. O'Brien struck out the first two batters of the game looking and then got a flyout on the first pitch to quickly get through the first inning. He then struck out the side in order in the second inning, and recorded two more strikeouts in the third inning for a total of seven strikeouts in his first time through the batting lineup. He needed just seven pitches to get through the fourth inning and added another punchout. Then in the sixth inning, he recorded his ninth strikeout and got a first-pitch groundout to remain perfect. His last batter faced was the longest at-bat of the game in a nine-pitch strikeout to finish the perfect game.
Division II Regional Players of the Week:
• Atlantic: Anthony Torreullas, East Stroudsburg (Hitter); Austin Crebs, Shepherd (Pitcher)
• Central: David Valches, Henderson State (Hitter); Jake Dykoff, Minnesota-Crookston (Pitcher)
• East: No Nominees
• Midwest: No Nominees
• South: Grayson Swanson, Union (Tenn.) (Hitter); Michael Paul, Tampa (Pitcher)
• South Central: Harrison Rodgers, Colorado Mesa (Hitter); Tyler Blomster, Colorado School of Mines (Pitcher)
• Southeast: Wade Cuda, Lenoir-Rhyne (Hitter); Ben Gilks, Catawba (Pitcher)
• West: Otto Kemp, Point Loma (Hitter); Jack O'Brien, Hawaii Pacific (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.
2022 NCBWA Division II Players of the Week:
Week ending Feb. 6: Duncan Pastore, Nova Southeastern (Hitter); Justin Fuson, Fresno Pacific (Pitcher)
· Week ending Feb. 13: Harrison Rodgers, Colorado Mesa (Hitter); Jack O'Brien, Hawaii Pacific (Pitcher)
· Week ending Feb. 20: Brock Reller, Northeastern State (Hitter); Jeremy Adorno, Southern Arkansas (Pitcher)
· Week ending Feb. 27: Zion Pettigrew, Illinois-Springfield (Hitter); Dominic Proietto, Kutztown (Pitcher)
· Week ending March 6: Lewis Beals, Hillsdale (Hitter); Dylan Miller, Point Loma (Pitcher)
· Week ending March 13: Kade Self, Oklahoma Baptist (Hitter); Kannon Handy, Colorado Mesa (Pitcher)
· Week ending March 20: Sean Johnson, Belmont Abbey (Hitter); Lawson Isaacs, Central Oklahoma (Pitcher)