DALLAS (NCBWA) A big series against their cross-town rivals by Matt Thompson of McMurry University and a no-hitter by Jhonneris Mendez of Suffolk University have earned them the NCAA Division III National Hitter and Pitcher of the Week respectively for the week of April 2-8 as voted on by a panel of D-III members of the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
Thompson, a senior first baseman from Southlake, Texas, batted .667 (8-for-12) with two home runs, one triple, three doubles, a 1.583 slugging percentage, and eight RBIs over three games against Hardin-Simmons University, the War Hawks American Southwest Conference and Abilene, Texas, cross-town rivals. Thompson also scored six runs, walked twice for a .714 on base percentage, and played errorless defense. He went 5-for-5 with a homer in his first at-bat and three doubles in the War Hawks· 15-4 series-opening win. In a 17-13 second-game loss, he went 3-for-5 with a triple, a home run, three RBIs and two runs scored. Thompson was named the ASC West Division Hitter of the Week for the third time this season.
Mendez, a junior right-hander from Boston, Mass., threw one of four no-hitters around the country during the week, posting a 3-0 victory over Lasell College in the second game of a doubleheader on Saturday. He was one strike away from a perfect game, having retired the first 20 hitters in a row, before finally allowing a base runner with a walk in the seventh. He then struck out the last batter and finished the game with 10 strikeouts. It was his second win of the day, as he also earned the game one victory in relief. He entered the game in the 7th with a 6-5 lead, surrendered an unearned run, then picked up the 7-6 win when the Rams scored in the last of the 7th. Mendez was named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week.
Honorable mention hitters: John Barrett (Frostburg State) - .636 (7-11), 3 doubles, 1 triple, 1 home run, 9 RBIs, 8 runs, 6 walks, 1.364 slugging pct.; Tim Wiand (Westminster PA) - .625 (10-16) - 5 doubles, 2 home runs, 11 RBIs, 9 runs, 1.313 slugging pct.; Chris Kucher (Babson) - .667 (14-21), 1 double, 1 home run, 4 RBIs, 8 runs, .857 slugging pct.; Kyle Strawn (Adrian) - .750 (9-12), 2 triples, 1 home runs, 5 RBIs, 7 runs, 1.333 slugging pct.; Paul Greco (Lancaster Bible) - .562 (9-16), 3 doubles, 3 home runs, 7 RBIs, 7 runs, 1.312 slugging pct.; Stephen Rogers (Trinity CT) - .588 (10-17), 2 doubles, 2 triples, 1 home run, 8 RBIs, 8 runs, 1.118 slugging pct.; Kenny Durling (Misericordia) - .583 (7-12), 2 doubles, 1 triple, 2 inside-the-park home runs, 8 RBIs, 5 runs, 1.417 slugging pct.; Paul Miller (Whitworth) - .688 (11-16), 4 doubles, 1 home run, 4 RBIs, 6 runs, 1.125 slugging pct.; Esteban Meletiche (Keystone) - .500 (10-20), 2 doubles, 1 triple, 7 RBIs, 9 runs, 4 stolen bases, .750 slugging pct.; Connor Cline (St. Johns MN) - .538 (7-13), 1 home run, 3 RBIs, 3 runs, .769 slugging pct.
Honorable mention pitchers: Rich Kazigian (Widener) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 7.0 ip, 1 cg, 0 hits, 6 strikeouts; Dakota Aker (Castleton) - 1-0, 1.00 ERA, 9.0 ip, 1 cg, 1 hit, 10 strikeouts; Daniel Kehew (Salve Regina) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 7.0 ip, 1 cg, 0 hits, 7 strikeouts; Jake Nicholson (Rockford) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 9.0 ip, 1 cg, 1 hit, 9 strikeouts; Buddy Flaherty (Bethel MN) - 1-0, 2 saves, 0.00 ERA, 5.1 ip, 1 hit, 5 strikeouts.
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2012 NCBWA Division III Players of the Week:
March 4: Andy King, Hamline (Hitter); Mitch
Hunnicutt, Hanover (Pitcher)
· March
11: Zach Hofer, Elmhurst (Hitter); Blaine O'Brien, Keystone (Pitcher)
· March 18: Gregg Steinman, Moravian (Hitter);
Steve Maher, St. Thomas (Pitcher)
· March
25: Bruce Maxwell, Birmingham-Southern (Hitter); Brian Ranta, George Fox (Pitcher)
· April 1: Dan Fiorito, Manhattanville (Hitter);
Jarrett Gish, Case Western Reserve (Pitcher)
·
April 8: Matt Thompson, McMurry (Hitter); Jhonneris
Mendez, Suffolk (Pitcher)
· April 15:
Kyle Cook, Centre (Hitter); Kyle Cunningham-Rhoads, Wooster (Pitcher)
·
April 22: Edwin Moser, DeSales (Hitter); Tyler
Erickson, Castleton State (Pitcher)
·
April 29: Tim Saunders, Marietta (Hitter); Kyle Szatrowski, UMass-Boston (Pitcher)
· May 6: Brett Van Asdlen, Aurora (Hitter);
Bill Oppriecht, Wisconsin-Plattevile (Pitcher)