March 21, 2007

NAIA Baseball Player of the Week

Embry Riddle (Fla.) third baseman Colin Gray is this week's NAIA Baseball Player of the Week after helping ERAU to a 3-0 week, including a pair of double-digit wins in which he compiled seven of his eight RBIs in a three-game stretch.

Gray opened the week with a 3-for-3, four RBI outing against Bellevue (Neb.), a game in which he went for two extra-base hits - one triple and a home run. Gray also scored twice in the win over Bellevue. Later in the week against Rio Grande, Gray helped ERAU to a 17-run win by pounding out three hits in five at bats, belting another triple and coming up with three runs driven in. He also scored three times in the team's 20-run outing.

Gray closed the week with his best total at the plate, going 4-for-5 in a one-run win over Saint Xavier, scoring twice and driving in one. Gray finished the week 10-for-13 at the plate for a .769 batting average and a 1.308 slugging mark.

Other nominees included: Chad Hitchcock, Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.); Kyle Bischof, Spalding (Ky.); David Mancheaux, Morningside (Iowa); Phil Franks, Ohio Dominican; Seth Beason, Friends (Kan.); Eric Vojtkofsky, Spring Arbor (Mich.); Randy Rosa, Iowa Wesleyan; Tyson Mulvaney, Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.); Carlos Romero, Mobile (Ala.); Richard Orange, Lubbock Christian (Texas); Caleb Mintz, The Master's (Calif.).

NAIA Baseball Pitcher of the Week

Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.) starter Eric Van Slyke has been named NAIA Baseball Pitcher of the Week after tossing 10.0 innings with no runs, six hits, 16 strike outs and two wins against nationally ranked competition last week.

Van Slyke tossed 3.0 innins and fanned five in TNU's opening game of the week, an 8-7 win over Lee (Tenn.), and in 7.0 innings against Lyon (Ark.), the senior fanned 11 and allowed three hits in a shut-out win. With the wins, Van Slyke improved to 8-1 on the year in 11 trips to the mound, moving his ERA to 1.92 and his strike-out-to-walk ratio to 4-1.

This season, Van Slyke has accounted for a team-best four complete games, including the Trojans' only complete-game shut-out of the year.

Other nominees included: Ronnie Ball, Oklahoma Baptist; Jon Story, Lindenwood (Mo.); Jason Francis, William Penn (Iowa); Brett Seybert, Milligan (Tenn.); Josh Judy, Indiana Tech; Andrew Brock, Albertson (Idaho); Jordan Roberts, Embry-Riddle (Fla.); Matt Braumberger, Friends (Kan.); Jaeson Hudnall, Urbana (Ohio); Chris Baker, Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.); Steve Goins, California Baptist; Paul Faulkenberry, Belhaven (Miss.).