DALLAS (NCBWA) A perfect week at the plate by outfielder Trent Svehla of Simpson College (Iowa) and a 2-0 week by flame-throwing Mark DiTommaso of Western New England College have earned them the fifth NCAA Division III National Hitter and Pitcher of the Week honors respectively for the week of March 28-April 3, 2011, as voted on by a panel of D-III members of the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
Svehla, a senior right-handed hitter from Lincoln, Neb., was a perfect 9-for-9 (1.000) at the plate as Simpson swept a three-game weekend series from host Loras. He had a double, a walk, a 1.111 slugging percentage and a 1.000 on base percentage, while scoring two runs and driving in four. He went 4-for-4 and had three RBIs in the series opener on April 1. In the first game of a doubleheader on April 2, he went 2-for-2 with a walk and a run scored in a 2-1 victory, then went 3-for-3 with a double, a run scored, and an RBI in the final game. In one week, he improved his batting average 244 points from .294 to .538 while helping the Storm to its best start in conference play since 1999. Svehla was named the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Week.
DiTommaso, a junior right-hander from Hebron, Conn., was 2-0 and tossed 13 scoreless innings over two starts against conference opponents, surrendering just five hits and one walk while striking out 17. He opened with six scoreless innings of four-hit ball in a 12-0 win over Anna Maria, striking out five and walking one. He then flirted with a perfect game in an 8-0 victory over Colby-Sawyer in which he retired the first 14 batters he faced. In seven innings, he allowed just one hit, matched his career high with 12 strikeouts, and did not walk a single batter. DiTommaso was named The Commonwealth Coast Conference Pitcher of the Week.
Honorable Mention Hitters: Chad Mullins (Case Western Reserve) - .765 (13-17), 2 doubles, 1 home run, 11 RBI, 8 runs, 1.059 slugging pct.; Brian Henry (Keystone) - .611 (9-18), 2 doubles, 4 home runs, 9 RBI, 8 runs, 1.437 slugging pct.; Tim Wilson (Linfield) - .667 (8-12), 2 doubles, 5 stolen bases, 4 RBI, 3 runs, .833 slugging pct.; Spencer Brunson (Mississippi College) - .625 (10-16), 4 home runs, 6 RBI, 9 runs, 1.375 slugging pct.; Tyler Dillinger (Bethany) - .583 (7-12), 3 doubles, 1 home run, 2 stolen bases, 3 RBI, 4 runs, 1.083 slugging pct.; Josh Chasse (Daniel Webster) - .714 (10-14), 2 doubles, 6 stolen bases, 2 RBI, 6 runs, .857 slugging pct.; Trey Such (Methodist) - .600 (9-15), 2 doubles, 3 home runs, 10 RBI, 7 runs, 1.133 slugging pct.
Honorable Mention Pitchers: Chris Smith (SUNY-Oneonta) - 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 14.0 ip, 4 hits, 16 strikeouts; Elliott Ross (DePauw) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 11.0 ip, 1 cg, 6 hits, 15 strikeouts; Chip Hockenbury (Hanover) - 0-0, 3 saves, 3.17 ERA, 5.2 ip, 5 strikeouts; Justin Hoying (Capital) - 1-0, 2.00 ERA, 9.0 ip, 1 cg, 4 hits, 8 strikeouts; Brad Watson (Wartburg) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 9.0 ip, 1 cg, 5 hits, 11 strikeouts; Dan Johansen (Pacific Lutheran) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 9.0 ip, 3 hits, 11 strikeouts; Jake Waldrip (Spalding) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 7.0 ip, 1 cg, 4 hits, 10 strikeouts; Sean Minor (Worcester Tech) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 9.0 ip, 1 cg, 6 hits, 5 strikeouts.
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2011 NCBWA Division III Players of the Week:
March 6: Kevin Brashears, Shenandoah
(Hitter); Matt McAllister of Penn State-Abington (Pitcher)
· March 13: Michael Pascarella, Pittsburgh-Bradford
(Hitter); Lee Schurlknight, Sewanee (Pitcher)
· March 20: Jonathan Mason, Bridgewater
(Hitter); Josh Scott, Baldwin-Wallace (Pitcher)
· March 27: Dan Haugh, Wheaton (Hitter);
Mike McManus, Mt. St. Vincent's (Pitcher)
· April 3: Trent Svehla, Simpson (Hitter);
Mark DiTomasso, Western New England (Pitcher)
· April 10: Ryan Darner, Thomas More
(Hitter); Travis Ratliff, SUNY-Cortland (Pitcher)
· April 17: Brandon O'Connell, Wisconsin-Stout
(Hitter); Sean White, Dickinson (Pitcher)
· April 24: John Snyder, Marietta (Hitter);
Mike Russo, Kean (Pitcher)
· May 1: Matt Bittner, Penn State-Behrend
(Hitter); Max Henry, Saint Vincent (Pitcher)
· May 8: Mike Nodzenski, Grinnell (Hitter);
Joe Sweeney, Illinois Wesleyan (Pitcher)