NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – For the second straight week, an Ocean State – Dylan Burdeaux (Southern Mississippi) – has been named the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) Player of the Week, while Newport right-hander Michael Mertz (Oklahoma State) earned the league’s Pitcher of the Week award for the second time this season, the league announced Monday afternoon.
Burdeaux helped the Waves claim the league’s top player award for the second straight week after Chuckie Robinson did so last week, while Mertz adds yet another honor to his mantle in a summer that has seen his status ascend to one of the elite arms in the league.
Burdeaux led the league with 13 hits last week in 28 at-bats, finishing with a .464 batting average over seven games. He shared the league lead in home runs with two while also driving in a league-high eight runs. His six runs scored were one off the league lead, as well.
In 27 games for the Waves in 2015, Burdeaux is batting just above .300 on 30 hits with 16 RBIs, three homers, four doubles and 12 runs scored. He owns a .303/.355/.434 slash line and an impressive .789 OPS to date. He was named an All-Star and will appear in next Sunday’s NECBL All-Star Game.
Mertz, another All-Star, put together one of the most dominant starts in the league this summer while improving to an NECBL-best 4-0. In his lone start of the week on July 11 at New Bedford, he struck out a whopping 13 batters with only three hits and no walks allowed. He lowered his season WHIP to 0.930 and his ERA to 1.86 while raising his strikeout total to a league-high 43. In 29 innings, he was walked only eight and surrendered just 19 hits.
The NECBL congratulates both Burdeaux and Mertz on their achievements.
Weekly Honor Roll
Garrett Christman (Keene/Butler) – An NECBL All-Star, he tallied eight hits in 16 at-bats, good for a .500 average, while drilling two doubles and driving in six.
James Davison (Laconia/Howard) – Shared the league lead with four stolen bases while ranking second with six runs scored; also finished 9-for-21 (.429) with two doubles and an RBI.
Sam Dexter (Sanford/Southern Maine) – Led the NECBL with a .526 batting average (10-for-19) with four runs scored with a double and three RBIs.
Cody Dube (Sanford/Keene State) – In two relief appearances, picked up two wins to share the league lead while tossing 5-1/3 scoreless innings with six strikeouts. Was also named an All-Star.
Jon Escobar (New Bedford/Holy Cross) – Was outstanding out of the bullpen, leading the league with three saves over three separate appearances; fanned two with only one hit allowed in three scoreless innings.
Jared Habershaw (North Adams/Eckerd) – Worked 4-2/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen in three separate appearances, striking out six with only two walks and two hits surrendered.
Tim Holmes (Mystic/Fisher) – Made two appearances (one start) last week, logging seven scorelss innings with seven strikeouts, three walks and only two hits surrendered.
Victor Sorrento (North Adams/Sacred Heart) – An All-Star, finished the week 1-for-27 (.370) with five RBIs and a home run while scoring three runs.
Don Stafford (Laconia/St. Joseph’s) – The South Division’s starter catcher for this week’s All-Star Game, posted a .476 batting average (10-for-21) with four runs, three doubles, a home run and six RBIs.
Ben Wessel (Sanford/Rhode Island) – Tossed eight scoreless innings in only start last week, striking out six while scattering four hits to pick up the win.
