FROM NCBWA RELEASE
A near-perfect week at the plate by third baseman Jeremy Macklin of Texas Lutheran University and outstanding performances against nationally-ranked teams by two pitchers with contrasting styles, Matt Schuld of the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) and D.J. Keckler of Wesley College, have earned them the first NCAA Division III National Hitter of the Week and Pitcher of the Week honors for 2009, covering the week of February 23-March 1.
Macklin, a senior from Austin, Texas, batted .917 by going 11-for-12 in a three-game series sweep of Mississippi College, belting three home runs and four doubles and driving in a whopping 18 runs. He set TLU school records for RBI in a three-game series (18) and RBI in a doubleheader (14), and tied the TLU mark for RBI in a single game, eight. His slugging percentage for the week was 2.000, and his on-base percentage was .875. He was a triple short of the cycle in Friday’s win and in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader. He also had a steal and three walks in the three games. He entered the three-game series with 12 RBI; he now has 30 RBI, and is batting .553 on the season for the 9-5 Bulldogs. Macklin was named the American Southwest Conference West Division Hitter of the Week.
Schuld, a junior righthander from Plymouth, Minn., threw a two-hit shutout and struck out 14 in Sunday night’s 2-0 victory over No. 12-ranked St. Scholastica. He allowed one walk, hit one batter, and gave up a double and a single in the seven-inning game. The game set a Metrodome record as it was played in just 87 minutes. In his last six appearances since last May, Schuld has a 5-1 record with a 1.35 ERA and nine walks and 40 strikeouts in 40 innings. His lone loss was in extra innings to 2008 World Series qualifier UW-Whitewater in the regional tournament last May in a game that was 1-1 through nine innings.
Keckler, a freshman righthander from Fallston, Md., was named the Capital Athletic Conference Player of the Week after throwing a two-hit complete game 2-0 victory over CAC rival and No. 1-ranked Salisbury, ending the SeaGull’s’ 44-game regular-season winning streak. In the scheduled seven-inning game, he had to work out of jams in the seventh and eighth innings, then pitched a perfect ninth after the Wesley offense broke open the scoreless contest. In his first collegiate conference appearance and third appearance overall, he allowed just five baserunners and held the Gulls hitless over the final 7.1 innings (25 batters), including one stretch of 13 straight retired batters. Amazingly, Keckler had no strikeouts in the game.
Honorable Mention Hitters: David Roux (Louisiana College) – .519 (11-21), 3 doubles, 5 home runs, 11 RBI, 10 runs, 1.381 slugging pct.; Bo Thunell (George Fox) – .529 (9-17), 6 doubles, 1 home run, 12 RBI, 6 runs, 1.059 slugging pct.; Nick Nolan (Kean) – .571 (4-7), 2 doubles, 1 triple, 1 home run, 4 RBI, 2 runs, 1.571 slugging pct.
Honorable Mention Pitchers: Michael Johnson (Concordia-Texas) – 1-0, 2.57 ERA, 7.0 ip, 1 cg, 6 hits, 17 strikeouts (ASC record); Tommy Rozell (Texas-Tyler) – 1-0, 2.45 ERA, 11.0 ip, 4 hits, 16 strikeouts
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2009 Winners:
Feb. 23-Mar. 1 Hitter of the Week: Jeremy Macklin (Texas Lutheran)
Pitcher of the Week: Matt Schuld (St. Thomas MN), D.J. Keckler (Wesley)
