Players/Pitchers of the Week
WEEK ENDING APRIL 22, 2007
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Aaron Manes, Trinity International University
Senior First Baseman/Lincoln, NE)
Manes hit safely in each of Trinity International's seven games played, leading to a .500 batting average personally and a 5-2 record for the club. He also drove in at least one run in six of those affairs resulting in a total of 12 runs batted in. Manes closed out his week in a big way, batting .615 in his final three contests, which featured a pair of three-hit games, including one against NCAA I University of Illinois-Chicago. In all, Manes totalled 14 hits with seven going for extra bases (3 doubles, 4 home runs) netting him a 1.036 slugging percentage. He also scored nine runs on the week.
Other Nominees: Matt Kamp (Trinity Christian), Ryan Buchler (Saint Xavier), Paul Bergan (Olivet Nazarene) and Brad Netzel (St. Francis).
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Joe Koehler, University of St. Francis
Freshman Right-Handed Pitcher/Mount Carmel H.S./Worth, IL
Koehler pitched in four of the Saints' 10 games on the week and came away earning three of their seven victories with two being complete-game wins. Koehler scattered just seven hits in the two complete-game efforts, which covered 13 innings. In all, he pitched 16 2/3 innings and had a 3.76 earned run average to go along with the 3-0 mark. The three wins came against conference foes Cardinal Stritch (WI), Judson and Calumet St. Joseph (IN)..
Other Nominees: Jayson Koehn (Saint Xavier) and Erich Holsten (Olivet Nazarene).
WEEK ENDING APRIL 15, 2007
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Andrew Van Byssum, Trinity Christian College
Senior Centerfielder/Clarendon Hills, IL)
Van Byssum had a huge week at the plate batting .579 (11-for-19) with eight RBI in five games, three of which were victories. He also boasted a .947 slugging percentage thanks to a pair of triples and one home run, and accounted for no less than three runs in four of the five games by either scoring himself or driving in the runs. Van Byssum opened the week by tying a school record with five runs scored in a 27-2 victory over Indiana University Northwest. In that same game, Van Byssum went 3-for-5 at the plate, drove in three runs and stole two of his three bases on the week. One game later, he plated the winning run in a 6-5 victory over Olivet Nazarene University.
Other Nominees: Zach Williams (Olivet Nazarene), Jim Calderone (St. Francis) and Ryan Buchler (Saint Xavier).
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Dan Miller, Saint Xavier University
Sophomore Right-Handed Pitcher/Joliet Catholic Academy/Joliet, IL
Miller earned a victory and two saves in his three league appearances for Saint Xavier University for the week. Miller did not allow a hit or a run in either of his first two outings, where he gained the win in an 8-7 decision over Purdue University-North Central, IN and the save in a 3-1 nod versus Illinois Institute of Technology. He notched his second save of the week in a 5-4 win over Robert Morris College, where he registered three of his six outs via strikeouts.
Other Nominees: Chris Ericksen (St. Francis) and Luke Highley (Olivet Nazarene).
WEEK ENDING APRIL 8, 2007
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Karl Gotsch, University of St. Francis (IL)
Sophomore Catcher/Reavis H.S./Burbank, IL)
Gotsch sparked two big scoring rallies for University of St. Francis in its 7-2 and 6-4 doubleheader sweep of Robert Morris College in the Saints' only games over the seven-day period. His RBI double in the 8th inning of the opener proved to be the game-winner. He followed that up with a run-producing hit in a four-run second inning in the nightcap. In each end of the doubleheader, Gotsch collected a pair of hits as part of a 4-for-7 afternoon (.571). Two of the hits went for doubles. He also scored one run.
Other Nominees: Sean Brummet (Calumet St. Joseph) and Brian Grupp (Saint Xavier).
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Joel DeRuiter, Trinity Christian College
Senior Right-Handed Pitcher/Oak Lawn, IL
DeRuiter faced only four batters over the minimum in his 2-1 complete-game victory over Illinois Institute of Technology. The only batters that reached base came on a pair of hits and two walks. He offset the latter figure with seven strikeouts in the nine-inning performance.
Other Nominees: Chris Ericksen (St. Francis) and Ryan Quigley (Saint Xavier)..
WEEK ENDING APRIL 1, 2007
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Paul Bergan, Olivet Nazarene University
Sophomore Infielder/North Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
Bergan batted .600 for the week, going 6-for-10 at the plate with a pair of hits in three of the team's four conference games, including a pair of doubles in a 4-1 win over Judson College to close out the week. Among his other numbers for the Tigers, who went 2-2 during the seven-day period, were three runs scored and one run batted in.
Other Nominees: Craig Buske (Saint Xavier) and Dan Weltmeyer (St. Francis).
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Ryan Quigley, Saint Xavier University
Senior Right-Handed Pitcher/Joliet Catholic Academy/Joliet, IL
Quigley maintained his perfect record on the mound (4-0), but did so this time in relief, shutting out Purdue University North Central (IN) over the final five innings of a 5-3 victory. Quigley, who captured the distinction for the second straight week, recorded nine of his 15 outs via strikeouts, while walking three and allowing three hits in the contest.
Other Nominees: Luke Highley (Olivet Nazarene) and Jason Novak (St. Francis).
WEEK ENDING MARCH 25, 2007
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Zach Williams, Olivet Nazarene University
Freshman Outfielder/Normal, IL
Williams had a week to remember batting .647 (11 of 17) with a 1.118 slugging percentage thanks to two doubles and a pair of home runs among his 11 hits. He also drove in six runs, while scoring seven times himself in Olivet Nazarene University's perfect 4-0 week. Williams authored at least two hits, scored at least one run and drove in no less than one run in each of the four games. In a doubleheadeer sweep of Calumet College of St. Joseph (IN), he went 6-for-8 with three runs scored and four RBI. He followed that with a 5-for-9 afternoon with four runs scored and two RBI in a pair of wins over Trinity International University.
Other Nominees: Don Skelly (Saint Xavier)
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Ryan Quigley, Saint Xavier University
Senior Right-Handed Pitcher/Joliet Catholic Academy/Joliet, IL
Quigley improved to 3-0 on the young season by working the first six innings of Saint Xavier University's conference-opening 12-4 win over University of St. Francis. Quigley allowed five hits and five walks in that time span, but was able to wiggle his way out of many jams allowing just one run. He also struck out six batters.
Other Nominees: None.