DALLAS (NCBWA) – An electric week at the plate, a two-hit shutout over a historic Div. III baseball powerhouse, and five innings of no-hit relief were what it took to earn the latest National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Div. III weekly awards. This week’s selections were based on games played April 22-28.
HITTER OF THE WEEK
Pennsylvania State University Abington senior infielder Shane Fillman went 8-for-13 at the plate with 12 RBI, five runs scored, and four home runs. Fillman’s week was headlined by a 4-for-5 performance in game one of a non-conference doubleheader at Lancaster Bible College (Pennsylvania) on Saturday, where he belted three home runs and had a career-high eight RBI. He was also 3-for-5 with a home run and four RBI in the team’s 12-3 Tuesday win over The City College of New York. Fillman was the United East Conference Volt Division Player of the Week.
Honorable Mention Hitter: Joe Perona, So., OF, North Park University (Illinois) – Robbed a would-be home run in game two of a doubleheader with Carroll University (Wisconsin) and later hit a walk-off double in the bottom of the 12th inning of an 8-7 win. Batted .632 (12-for-19) on the week with 15 RBI, nine runs scored, and five stolen bases. Had four doubles, two triples, and a home run on the week. Named to D3baseball.com’s Team of the Week and was the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Hitter of the Week.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Heidelberg University (Ohio) junior Jackson Powers fired a nine-inning, two-hit shutout in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Marietta College (Ohio). The defense behind Powers was superb, as the right-hander struck out just four Etta Express batters. Powers retired 14 of the final 15 batters he faced with the lone one reaching doing so on an error. Powers was named to D3baseball.com’s Team of the Week and was the Ohio Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week.
Honorable Mention Pitcher: Rob Salvatore, Jr., Kean University (New Jersey) – Tossed a nine-inning, four-hit shutout in Thursday’s 6-0 win over Stockton University (New Jersey). Allowed four singles as Kean took over solo possession of first-place in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. Struck out eight and walked one in the win. Was named to D3baseball.com’s Team of the Week and was the NJAC Pitcher of the Week.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Vassar College (New York) first-year left-hander Will Darrell tossed five no-hit innings of relief in a 9-2 victory over Bard on Saturday. Darrell recorded his third victory of the year and struck out four in the relief appearance. He was named the Liberty League Rookie of the Week for the second time this season.
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2024 DIV. III HITTER, PITCHER, AND ROOKIE OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS
• Month of February: Luke Finn, UT Dallas (Hitter); Wil Wood, Millsaps (Pitcher); Alex Miller, Centenary (Louisiana) (Rookie)
• Games played Feb. 26 – March 3: Dane Jones, LeTourneau (Hitter); Brandon Cassedy, Christopher Newport (Pitcher); JB Landrum, Huntingdon (Rookie)
• Games played March 4-10: Patrick Gillen, Calvin (Hitter); Sayers Collins, ETBU (Pitcher); Greg Pierantoni, Pomona-Pitzer (Rookie)
• Games played March 11-17: Chris Betler, York (Hitter); Nicholas Thompson, Colby (Pitcher); Ian Moser, Eastern Connecticut State (Rookie)
• Games played March 18-24: Jacob Charon, Lawrence (Hitter); Adam Maher, UMass Dartmouth (Pitcher); Harry Middlebrooks, Wilson (Rookie)
• Games played March 25-31: James Murphy, St. John Fisher (Hitter); Michael Hilker Jr., UW-Whitewater (Pitcher); Kyle Baxt, Oberlin (Rookie)
• Games played April 1-7: Mitchell Schroeder, Middlebury (Hitter); Johnny Blake, Dubuque (Pitcher); Logan Eilbacher, Catholic (Rookie)
• Games played April 8-14: Clarence Givhans, MCLA (Hitter); Tyler Reistetter, Merchant Marine (Pitcher); James Sill, Old Westbury (Rookie)
• Games played April 15-21: Samuel Gutierrez, SUNY Cobleskill (Hitter); Nathan Furino, Eastern Connecticut (Pitcher); Aidan Brinsfield, Salisbury (Rookie)
• Games played April 22-28: Shane Fillman, Penn State University Abington (Hitter); Jackson Powers, Heidelberg (Pitcher); Will Darrell, Vassar (Rookie)