ECAC Announces Corvias Baseball Players of the Week
DANBURY, Conn. – The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) has announced the Corvias Baseball Players of the Week for the week ending April 16.
DIVISION II
Player of the Week
John Kukura – Pace University, Sr., OF
Kukura had an incredible week to help Pace go 4-1. He batted .550 with an on-base percentage of .679 and slugging percentage of .800. Kukura scored eight runs, knocked in four, stole three bases and walked eight times. He started last week by going 2-for-2 with five walks, three RBIs, two runs scored and a walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th to beat Dominican on Tuesday. Kukura hit 4-for-6 with three runs, a double and a game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth in Wednesday's 11-inning affair against New Haven. The senior then went 3-for-7 with a double and two runs scored in Friday's 15-inning win over AIC. He continued his hot streak on Saturday by going 2-for-3 with a stolen base in Game One against AIC. Kukura went 0-for-2 in Saturday's finale, but still managed to score a run, steal two bases and draw two walks. He also turned a pair of double plays and had six assists.
Pitcher of the Week
Matt Nalbone – Mercy College, Sr., P
Nalbone tossed a four-hit shutout to earn the win at Molloy on Friday. The senior went the distance with seven strikeouts to earn his third win of the season.
Rookie of the Week
Elijah Quiceno – Gannon University, Fr., C
Quiceno hit .286 with a .375 on-base percentage during a doubleheader at California (Pa.) in the Golden Knights’ only action of the week. He recorded hits during both games, extending his hit streak to six games. The rookie scored two runs during the nightcap.
DIVISION III - METRO
Player/Rookie of the Week
Sergio Diaz – DeSales University, Fr., 1B
Diaz led the Bulldogs to 4-1 week while batting .667 (10-for-15) with a .667 on-base percentage and a 1.267 slugging percentage. Diaz finished the week with seven RBIs, three runs scored, three doubles, two home runs and a walk. He had the game-winning hit in 3-of-4 wins. The freshman went 8-for-10 in a 2-1 series win over conference foe Eastern with six RBIs, three runs scored, three triples and two home runs. In a 15-13 (10 innings) win, he went 4-for-5 with four RBIs, a run scored, a double and a home run. He hit a two-run home run in the 10th for the win. He then hit an RBI double in game two when the game was tied at 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Pitcher of the Week
Tyler Hopman – Kean University, So., P
Hopman posted one win and two saves in his three appearances on the mound. He tossed a total of 11.1 innings, not yielding an earned run in that time. He picked up a save with an inning of work against Drew. He then tossed a complete game win over Montclair State, allowing just one unearned run and fanning five. The sophomore wrapped up the week with another save in a win over William Paterson, tossing 1.1 innings and striking out two without allowing a hit.
DIVISION III – NEW ENGLAND
Player of the Week
Sam Huston – Husson University, So., C/INF
Huston helped the Eagles go 4-3 on the week (4-2 in NAC action), playing first against Saint Joseph's (Maine), third versus Thomas and finishing out the week behind the plate at New England College. On the week, the sophomore hit .421 (8-for-19), while recording 10 RBIs, eight runs, eight walks, three doubles and one homerun. In the first game of a doubleheader sweep of Thomas, Huston went 2-for-4, earned six RBIs, scored three runs and belted a grand slam in the top of the sixth. The infielder went 1-for-1 in game two, as he scored two runs, drew two walks and hit one double. In a four-game series that the Eagles split with NEC, he went 3-for-9, tallied four RBIs, scored two runs, earned two doubles and drew six walks. Defensively, Huston recorded 36 putouts and four assists on 42 total chances.
Pitcher of the Week
Brian Burke – Curry College, Sr., P
Burke pitched a gem in a conference win over Gordon last Saturday. The senior hurler allowed just three hits and one walk in seven shutout innings. He also sent 10 Fighting Scots back to the bench via strikeout.
Rookie of the Week
Logan Rogerson – Husson University, Fr., SS
Rogerson helped Husson go 4-3 on the road, sweeping Thomas and splitting four games with NEC in conference action. The shortstop hit .462 (12-for-26), scored 11 runs, earned three RBIs, drew three walks and stole one base. The rookie finished out the week strong in the team's final three games versus NEC, hitting 11-for-13, as he went 4-for-4, 4-for-5 and 3-for-4. He also tallied eight runs scored, three RBIs, one walk and one stolen base against the Pilgrims.
DIVISION III – NORTH
Player of the Week
Sam Little – Ithaca College, So., OF
Little helped lead Ithaca College to five wins last week including four in conference play as the team extended its winning streak to six games. Little combined to go 8-for-17 at the plate with 10 RBIs and seven runs scored. He also notched two doubles, a triple and home run for a .882 slugging percentage. The sophomore drew five walks in the week to account for a .583 on-base percentage. Against Rochester he went 1-for-3 with a pair of runs scored before a 2-for-5 performance with four RBIs against Houghton. In the three-game series against SUNY Canton, Little went 5-for-9 with five runs scored and five RBIs.
Pitcher of the Week
Tim Cronin – SUNY Oswego, Sr., P
Cronin was nearly impossible to score on during the week, as the senior hauler went 2-0 with a 0.64 earned-run average against two conference opponents. He improved to 7-0 on the year and lowered his ERA to 1.99, while allowed just one earned run to score in 14 innings pitched. Cronin struck out nine opposing hitters and walked just one.
Rookie of the Week
Evan Trausch – Vassar College, Fr., 1B
Trausch was huge in Vassar's 5-0 week, which included a four-game sweep over Union, the first ever four-game sweep of the Dutchmen in program history. Trausch went .421 for the week, going 8-for-19 with two doubles, six runs scored and a team-best 10 RBIs. He also walked once, was hit by a pitch and posted two sacrifice flies. Trausch posted two hits and three RBIs against City College of New York last Wednesday to start the week. Then against Union, Trausch had at least one hit in all four games, including a big three-run double in game two. Saturday, Trausch went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs in a 14-8 win.
DIVISION III – SOUTH
Player of the Week
Trey Mears – Wesley College, Sr., OF
Mears belted four home runs with 11 RBIs while hitting .556 last week, helping the Wolverines clinch the No. 4 seed in the CAC Tournament. Mears scored eight times and registered four stolen bases. He hit a home run in three of four games, posting a slugging percentage of 1.278 and getting on base at a .609 clip. Mears leads the CAC in batting average (.517), on-base percentage (.580), slugging percentage (.750), hits (62), runs (50) and stolen bases (38).
Pitcher of the Week
Bryce Schnatterly – Washington & Jefferson College, Jr., P
Schnatterly went 2-0 last week in two appearances (one start) on the mound. He went 5.0 innings and allowed four hits and one earned run in a win against Grove City before tossing 3.0 innings of relief and giving up four hits and one earned in a win at Thomas More on Saturday.
Rookie of the Week
Mason Miller – Waynesburg University, Fr., P
Miller earned his first collegiate win during Friday's game two victory at Geneva. Miller gave up two runs, both of which were earned, on six hits and two walks. He piled up seven strikeouts over his 5.0 innings of work.
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