DALLAS (NCBWA) Colleges in western Pennsylvania dominated the ninth NCAA Division III National Hitter and Pitcher of the Week honors as third baseman Matt Bittner of Pennsylvania State University-Behrend and left-hander Max Henry of Saint Vincent College respectively earned the awards for the week of April 25-May 1, 2011, as voted on by a panel of D-III members of the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
Bittner, a sophomore from Lancaster, N.Y., crushed three much-needed home runs for the Lions, who rode a four-game winning streak into the No. 3 seed for the upcoming conference tournament. He batted .625 (10-14) for the week, including a pair of doubles and a triple that contributed to a 1.643 slugging percentage. He also drove in 15 runs and scored eight in the undefeated week. In a 12-3, 10-6 sweep of Medaille, he went 5-for-8 with three runs scored and five RBIs. As the Lions swept Pitt-Bradford 20-16 and 10-0, he went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run, and two runs scored in each game, while driving in six runs in the opener and four in the nightcap. Bittner was named the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Player of the Week.
Henry, a freshman from Latrobe, Pa., was 2-0 on the week for the Bearcats, allowing just one run on four hits in 11 2/3 innings for an 0.77 ERA while recording 18 strikeouts. He fired a two-hitter in a 4-1 conference win over Bethany Monday, taking a no-hitter into the sixth and setting a new Saint Vincent seven-inning record with 13 strikeouts. On Friday, he earned a relief victory with 4 2/3 scoreless innings and five strikeouts in a 7-5 win over Franciscan. Henry was named the Presidents' Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week
Honorable Mention Hitters: Andrew Thole (Thomas More) - .700 (7-10), 4 home runs, 8 RBI, 6 runs, 1.900 slugging pct.; Chris Sweeney (King's PA) - .579 (11-19), 5 doubles, 3 home runs, 8 RBI, 12 runs, 1.316 slugging pct.; Ethan Rieker (Susquehanna) - .667 (14-21), 2 doubles, 2 home runs, 7 RBI, 7 runs, 1.048 slugging pct.; Ben Kuebbing (Transylvania) - .556 (10-18), 1 double, 3 home runs, 10 RBI, 7 runs, 1.111 slugging pct.; Andrew Fatse (Western New England) - .571 (8-14), 2 doubles, 1 home run, 6 RBI, 2 runs, .929 slugging pct.; Nick Skala (Concordia-Chicago) - .607 (17-28), 2 doubles, 2 home runs, 11 RBI, .893 slugging pct.; Jeff Lynch (Johns Hopkins) - .480 (12-25), 2 doubles, 3 home runs, 12 RBI, 10 runs, .980 slugging pct.
Honorable Mention Pitchers: Reggie Kock (Buena Vista) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 7.0 ip, 1 cg, 1 hit, 11 strikeouts; Andrew Sinon (Gwynedd-Mercy) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 7.0 ip, 1 cg, 1 hits, 12 strikeouts; Chris Phelan (Farmingdale State) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 7.0 ip, 1 cg, 3 hits, 11 strikeouts); Zack Hurley (Daniel Webster) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 8.0, 1 CG, 3 hits, 2 strikeouts; Tom Schaberl (John Carroll) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 7.0 ip, 1 cg, 2 hits, 7 strikeouts); Kyle Smith (SUNY-Brockport) - 1-0, 2.57 ERA, 7.0 ip, 6 hits, 7 strikeouts; Steve Sitterly (Aurora) - 2-0, 2.45 ERA, 14.2 ip, 1 cg, 13 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.
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)