DALLAS (NCBWA) – First-years dominated on the mound, with this week's National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Div. III Pitcher and Rookie of the Week combining to work 15 hitless innings, and a six-home run week garnered the week nine Hitter of the Week honor. This week's honorees were chosen based on games April 18-24.
HITTER OF THE WEEK
Concordia University Wisconsin senior infielder Sam Beers hit .581 (18-of-31) over seven games last week, blasting six home runs and three doubles in the process. Beers tallied 14 RBI and scored 13 times. He finished the week with a .588 on-base percentage and a massive 1.258 slugging percentage. The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Position Player of the Week had multiple hits in six of the seven games.
Honorable Mention Hitter: Adam Kelly, Gr., OF, Keystone College (Pennsylvania) – Colonial States Athletic Conference Player of the Week after exploding for a new single-game program-record four home runs against Clarks Summit University (Pennsylvania) in game two on Saturday. Kelly finished the doubleheader 9-for-13 (.692) with four home runs, two doubles, a triple, 13 RBI, and eight runs scored.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Thomas College (Maine) first-year Garrison Paillet tossed a complete-game, seven-inning no-hitter against Northern Vermont University-Lyndon on Saturday. It is believed to be the first no-hitter ever for the Terriers. The North Atlantic Conference left-hander struck out eight batters in the 2-0 win.
Honorable Mention Pitcher: Logan Nickel, Fy., P, Anderson University (Indiana) – Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Pitching Athlete of the Week after tossing eight scoreless innings of relief. The right-hander collected three saves and struck out 10, all while not allowing a hit.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Anderson University (Indiana) first-year pitcher Logan Nickel tossed eight scoreless innings of relief over a trio of outings last week. The HCAC Pitching Athlete of the Week collected the save in each appearance and did not allow a hit. He worked four innings in an 11-4 win over Bluffton University (Ohio) on Wednesday, during which he struck out six. On Saturday, Nickel appeared in both ends of Anderson's doubleheader sweep over Defiance College (Ohio).
Note: The NCBWA Div. III Hitter, Pitcher, and Rookie of the Week committee awards the Rookie of the Week honor to the next-highest vote getter in the event a rookie is selected as the Hitter or Pitcher of the Week, as is the case this week.
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