NCBWA NAMES DIVISION III NATIONAL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

DALLAS (NCBWA) Member institutions from the University Athletic Association, Southern Athletic Association, and Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth earned the first NCAA Div. III weekly accolades awarded by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association in 2021. This week's honorees were recognized for performances spanning March 1-7.


Hitter of the Week: Washington University in St. Louis' junior shortstop Caleb Durbin batted .545 with nine RBI, six runs scored, three stolen bases, and two home runs during a three-game set with Illinois Wesleyan University. In the series finale, Durbin went 2-for-3 with four RBI, a homer, and a walk. He had four RBI in game two and three stolen bases in the season lid-lifter. WashU swept the series 5-1, 10-5, and 9-1.


Honorable Mention Hitter: Amani Jones, Fr., 2B, Stevenson University Went 6-for-7 at the dish with two walks in a doubleheader sweep against Eastern University. Jones, who sported an .889 on-base percentage and a 1.714 slugging percentage, scored five runs and knocked in three. He went 3-for-4 with a home run and three runs scored in the 15-0 opener. The second baseman then went 3-for-3 with a walk in the nightcap, finishing a home run shy of the cycle.


Pitcher of the Week: Berry College's Patrick O'Rourke pitched a seven-inning perfect game against Millsaps College on Saturday. O'Rourke struck out seven batters in the 13-0 win. The perfect game is a first for a Berry pitcher since 1972, and the first since the institution joined Div. III.


Honorable Mention Pitcher: Dylan Kuester, Jr., University of the Ozarks Threw a gem to lead the Eagles to a 9-0 game two win against Howard Payne University on March 5. Kuester was dominant with a two-hit complete game shutout. He fanned 11 and walked only one in his outing. Kuester faced 32 batters and allowed just one hit through 8 2/3 innings. He retired the side in the second, third, fifth, sixth, and eighth innings. He struck out the side in the seventh after hitting a batter and issuing a walk.


Rookie of the Week: Stevenson University's Amani Jones went 6-for-7 at the dish with two walks in a doubleheader sweep against Eastern University. Jones, who sported an .889 on-base percentage and a 1.714 slugging percentage, scored five runs and knocked in three. He went 3-for-4 with a home run and three runs scored in the 15-0 opener. The second baseman then went 3-for-3 with a walk in the nightcap, finishing a home run shy of the cycle.


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.


2021 NCBWA Division III Players of the Week:

Week ending March 7: Caleb Durbin, Washington U. (Hitter); Patrick O'Rourke, Berry (Pitcher); Amani Jones, Stevenson (Rookie)

· Week ending March 14: Philip Mahlik, Kean (Hitter); Ryan Behling, North Central (Pitcher); Jacob Cyrus, Illinois Wesleyan (Rookie)

· Week ending March 21: Dane Pedersen, Louisiana College (Hitter); Thomas Gallant, Mount Union (Pitcher); Nolan Sparks, Rochester (Rookie)

· Week ending March 28: Jack Hollinshead, Wittenberg (Hitter); Sam Westermeyer, St. Olaf (Pitcher); Cam Seymour, Southern Maine (Rookie)

· Week ending April 4: Catcher Cumming, Penn State Altoona (Hitter); Chris Chiriboga, St. Thomas (Pitcher); Jake Freed, Oberlin (Rookie)

· Week ending April 11: Adam Zebrowski, St. John Fisher (Hitter); Nolan Rowan, Kean (Pitcher); Amani Jones, Stevenson (Rookie)

· Week ending April 18: Dougie DelaCruz, Mitchell (Hitter); Michael Vallone, DePauw (Pitcher); Owen Robbins, Mitchell (Rookie)

· Week ending April 25: Daniel Coleman, SUNY-Cortland (Hitter); Brock Weirather, Grinnell (Pitcher); James Ward Jr., St. John Fisher (Rookie)

· Week ending May 2: Jake Reinhardt, North Park (Hitter); Weston Lombard, Gustavus Adolphus (Pitcher); Jake Hillard, Penn State Altoona (Rookie)

· Week ending May 9: Adam Zebrowski, St. John Fisher (Hitter); James Palmer, Wisconsin-Stout (Pitcher); James Murphy, Adam Zebrowski (Rookie)


2021 NCBWA Division III Players of the Month:

February: Ty Morgan, Louisiana College (Hitter); Brett Sanchez, Belhaven (Pitcher); Levi Cloud, Berry (Rookie)