DALLAS (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association announces its Hitter, Pitcher, and Rookie of the Week awardees for April 5-11.
Hitter of the Week: Big flies were the order of the period for Mount Vernon Nazarene University's Aaron Saal. The senior infielder led the Cougars to a 5-0 week, crushing four home runs, driving in 11, and hitting a meteoric .688. Saal also scored seven times and was a perfect three-for-three on the basepaths.
Pitcher of the Week: Texas A&M-Texarkana's Jared Davis was nearly untouchable during a start versus Our Lady of Lake on April 9. He surrendered only one unearned run over seven frames to the nation's then-No. 21-ranked program in an 8-1 Eagles' victory. He managed two strikeouts in the complete-game effort, which was TAMU-Texarkana's lone win in the series.
Rookie of the Week: Infielder Hayden Sullivan helped headline a 2-2 week for the Ave Maria University Gyrenes. He had a hit in every game, which included five in ten at-bats in a weekend series against St. Thomas. Sullivan scored four runs and drove in four, too, along with adding three stolen bases.
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.
2021 NAIA Players of the Week:
Week ending Feb. 7: Daniel Myers, Benedictine (Hitter); Chris Koeiman, Tennessee Wesleyan (Pitcher); Trevor Ball, Presentation (Rookie)
· Week ending Feb. 14: Gary Mattis, Tennessee Wesleyan (Hitter); Benjamin Harris, Brewton-Parker (Pitcher/Rookie)
· Week ending Feb. 28: Pedro Nazario, Cumberlands (Hitter); Robert Gonzalez, Tennessee Wesleyan (Pitcher); Carson Ford, Texas Wesleyan (Rookie)
· Week ending March 7: Jayden Adams, Concordia, Neb. (Hitter); Eli Jackson, Blue Mountain (Pitcher); Thaniel Thumper, Doane (Rookie)
· Week ending March 14: Justin Brooks, Middle Georgia State (Hitter); Dan Monear, Rochester (Hitter); Joe Osborn, Doane (Rookie)
· Week ending March 21: Zachary Presnall, Mobile (Hitter); Antonio Frias, Faulkner (Pitcher); Stephen Still, Loyola (Rookie)
· Week ending March 28: Shane Stewart, Central Baptist (Hitter); Chris Wall, Columbia College (Pitcher); Evan Juniper, Kentucky Christian (Rookie)
· Week ending April 4: Justice Lucas, Faulkner (Hitter); Garrett Martin, Middle Georgia State (Pitcher); Tucker Musgrove, Mobile (Rookie)
· Week ending April 11: Aaron Saal, Mount Vernon Nazarene (Hitter); Travis Keys, Aquinas College (Pitcher); Hayden Sullivan, Ava Maria (Rookie)
· Week ending April 18: Josh Sears, Freed-Hardeman (Hitter); Jared Davis, Texas A&M-Texarkana (Pitcher); Blaize Minick, South Carolina-Beaufort (Rookie)
· Week ending April 25: Adrian Reed, Madonna (Hitter); Benjamin Harris, Brewton-Parker (Pitcher/Rookie)