DALLAS (NCBWA) Tim Saunders of Marietta College had 17 hits in only five games and Kyle Szatrowski of the University of Massachusetts-Boston threw the first no-hitter in team history, earning them the NCAA Division III National Hitter and Pitcher of the Week respectively for the week of April 23-29 as voted on by a panel of D-III members of the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
Saunders, a senior shortstop from Alliance, Ohio, went 17-for-25 for a .680 batting average. He blasted a pair of two-run home runs in one game at Muskingum, ending it with five hits in six at bats. In addition to the home runs, he had two doubles and two triples, resulting in 29 total bases and a 1.160 slugging percentage. He moved into second place on Marietta's all-time triples list with 20, three shy of the school record. He had two four-hit games, two three-hit games, and a two-hit game, and went a combined 6-for-9 in Marietta's sweep of Baldwin-Wallace. He ended the week with 11 runs scored, six RBI's, and was a perfect 5-for-5 in stolen bases. Saunders was named the Ohio Athletic Conference Hitter of the Week.
Szatrowski, a freshman left-hander from Agawam, Mass., made history with the first no-hitter ever for the Beacons' program. On April 25 against Wentworth at home, he limited the Leopards to four walks while striking out seven in a nine-inning complete-game victory, winning 5-0. He allowed no runner past first base, and retired the final six batters in order to earn his first collegiate victory in only his third career start. Szatrowski was named the Little East Conference Pitcher of the Week.
Honorable mention hitters: Alan Cheatham (Principia) - .667 (10-15), 3 doubles, 1 triple, 2 home runs, 12 RBIs, 1.400 slugging pct.; Trevor Kattre (Wisconsin-Platteville) - .500 (11-22) - 5 doubles, 2 triples, 11 RBIs, 9 runs, .909 slugging pct.; Sean Osterman (St. John Fisher) - .474 (9-19), 2 doubles, 1 triple, 2 home runs, 11 RBIs, 9 runs, 1.000 slugging pct.; Dylan Thomas (St. Thomas MN) - .538 (7-13), 2 doubles, 1 triple, 6 RBIs, .846 slugging pct.; Ryan Zakszeski (Johns Hopkins) - .550 (11-20), 1 double, 3 home runs, 6 RBIs, 6 runs, 1.050 slugging pct.
Honorable mention pitchers: Jeremy Cook (Eastern Nazarene) - 1-0, 1.00 ERA, 9.0 ip, 1 cg, 6 hits, 17 strikeouts; Tyler Erickson (Castleton State) - 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 18.0 ip, 2 cg, 7 hits, 10 strikeouts; Joe Lambers (Calvin) - 1-1, 2.61 ERA, 10.1 ip, 7 hits, 15 strikeouts; Jared Van Hoon (Pacific)- 1-0, 1 save, 0.00 ERA, 6.0 ip, 2 hits, 3 strikeouts; Teddy VanRanst (St. Mary's MN) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 7.0 ip, 1 cg, 2 hits, 4 strikeouts; Byron Minnich (California Lutheran) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 9.0 ip, 1 cg, 2 hits, 7 strikeouts; Cody Hafeli (Webster) - 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 9.2 ip, 1 cg, 1 hit, 2 strikeouts; Cam Seidl (Wisconsin-Stevens Point) - 1-0, 2 saves, 0.00 ERA, 9.2 ip, 3 hits, 6 strikeouts.
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.
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)