Catawba Sports Information

DALLAS — The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association released its NCAA Division II National Players of the Week awards for the week ending on March 29. Catawba sophomore first baseman Chance Bowden is the National Hitter of the Week, while West Liberty junior pitcher Greg Stagani is the National Pitcher of the Week.

Bowden, of Salisbury, posted 13 hits, including nine doubles, and nine RBI to lead Catawba to a 5-0 record last week, including a series sweep over Mars Hill. He posted multiple hits in every game he played, including a school-record four doubles against the Lions in game one of the doubleheader last Saturday.

Bowden drove in multiple runs in three contests and finished the five-game span with a slugging percentage of 1.042. For the week, Bowden batted .542 with an on-base percentage of .556 to go along with nine runs scored.

Stagani, of Richmond, Ohio, threw a one-hit shutout (9.0 IP) in 2-0 win over West Virginia Wesleyan, with 14 strikeouts and no walks. He faced 29 batters in the game, retiring the first 19 batters he faced and yielded the lone hit in the top of the seventh inning.

Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters and publicists of the sport. Members receive a membership card, directory, newsletter updates and official votes in the Howser Award Player of the Year, Regional Player of the Year and NCBWA All-America voting. The NCBWA also sponsors preseason All-America awards, publication and writing contests.

2016 NCBWA Division II Players of the Week:
– Feb. 17: Brett Wilhelm, Lubbock Christian (Hitter); Brooks Trujillo, West Texas A&M (Pitcher)
– Feb. 25: Andrew Vogelbaugh, Pittsburg St. (Hitter); Guillaume Blanchette, Lubbock Christian (Pitcher)
– Mar. 3: Blaise Warrick, Ark.-Fort Smith (Hitter); Ben Criscuolo, Southern NH (Pitcher)
– Mar. 10: Matt Piatt, University of Tampa (Hitter); Mark Delas, Findlay (Pitcher)
– Mar. 17: Troy Sieber, St. Leo University (Hitter); Robbie Gordon, Maryville (Pitcher)
– Mar. 24: Dylan Cook, Georgia College (Hitter); Logan Johnson, Fairmont State (Pitcher)
– Mar. 31: Chance Bowden, Catawba (Hitter); Greg Stagani, West Liberty (Pitcher)