Gonzalez chosen as USA South Rookie Pitcher of the Week
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Huntingdon freshman Jared Gonzalez was named a conference Athlete of the Week with the release of the USA South Athletes of the Week on Monday.
Gonzalez was named Baseball Rookie Pitcher of the Week for his performance in Game 3 against Ferrum College on Sunday. This is the fourth time this season the Navarre, Fla., native has been recognized as the USA South's Rookie Pitcher of the Week. He previously earned the recognition for his performances against Methodist, Greensboro and LaGrange.
In Sunday's 15-7 win over Ferrum, Gonzalez pitched six innings, struck out four, scattered eight hits and allowed four runs. For the season, Gonzalez is 6-2 with a 4.78 ERA, 39 strikeouts and 10 walks in 52 2/3 innings.
His six wins are tied for the conference lead and his 39 strikeouts are tied for 10th in the conference.
Below is the complete list of USA South Athletes of the Week.
Players of the Week
Baseball Player of the Week
Scott Gillespie, Covenant - The senior outfielder from Milton, Georgia went a combined 6-for-14 (.429) with a .556 on-base percentage and a 1.000 slugging percentage to go along with seven runs scored, five RBI, two doubles, two home runs and four walks as the Scots posted a 4-0 record last week. In a 15-14 win over Sewanee, Gillespie was 2-for-4 with three RBI, two runs scored, one home run and two walks. In a three-game sweep of USA South foe Greensboro, Gillespie was a combined 4-for-10 with five runs scored, two RBI, two doubles, one home run and two walks. Also Nominated: Nick Dean, Maryville; Cain Sauls, LaGrange; Ciro Norzagaray, N.C. Wesleyan; Kevin Alvarez, Averett; Alex Rodriguez, Methodist; Jordan Freeman, Huntingdon.
Baseball Pitcher of the Week
Christian Neal, William Peace - The Wendell, North Carolina junior earned a complete-game shutout victory in a 3-0 win over USA South foe Piedmont in his only appearance on the mound last week for the Pacers. Neal allowed just four hits with one walk and established a program-record with 17 strikeouts. The 17 punch-outs are the highest amount of strikeouts thrown in a single game this season in all of NCAA Division III. Also Nominated: Seth Debity, Maryville; Micah Mabe, Covenant; Taylor Davis, Averett; Michael Inman, Methodist; Dillon Weaver, Ferrum; Patrick Kucera, Huntingdon.
Softball Player of the Week
Samantha Hall, Averett - The sophomore outfielder from Stoneville, North Carolina went a combined 10-for-15 (.667) with a .667 on-base percentage and a .667 slugging percentage to go along with eight runs scored, one run batted in and six stolen bases as the Cougars posted a 4-0 record last week versus USA South competition to secure the program's second Conference Regular Season Championship and first-ever outright title. In a doubleheader sweep of Covenant, Hall was a combined 3-for-7 with two runs scored, one run batted in and one stolen base. In a doubleheader sweep of Piedmont, Hall was a combined 7-for-8 with six runs scored and five stolen bases. Also Nominated: Jordan Brett, Covenant; Whitney Wolfe, Piedmont; Caitlyn Hogg, Maryville; Amanda White, Meredith; Sarah Roberts, N.C. Wesleyan; Lindsay Tippett, Methodist; Sarah Connolly, Greensboro; Jamie Langford, Huntingdon.
Softball Pitcher of the Week
Dawn Harris, Greensboro - The Monroe, North Carolina junior appeared in four games last week, all complete-games, and posted a 4-0 record with a 1.75 ERA by tossing 24.0 innings, allowing nine runs, six of which were earned, on 22 hits with 12 walks and 14 strikeouts versus USA South competition. In a 10-1, five-inning, win over Meredith, Harris allowed one run on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts. In a 9-0, five-inning, victory over Covenant, Harris did not allow a run on one hit with three walks and three strikeouts. In a 5-4 victory over Piedmont, Harris allowed four runs, two of which were earned, on five hits with five walks and eight strikeouts. Finally, in a 5-4 win over Maryville, Harris allowed four runs, three of which were earned, on 11 hits with two walks and one strikeout. Also Nominated: Lauren Martin, William Peace; Logan Lowery, N.C. Wesleyan; Amy Hamlett, Averett; Nicole Heinrich, Methodist; Dawn Harris, Greensboro; Katy Messick, Huntingdon.
Lacrosse Player of the Week
Hope Motahari, Methodist - The Wilmington, North Carolina senior attacker tallied six points on five goals and one assist to go along with 17 draw controls, seven ground balls and five caused turnovers as the Monarchs posted a 2-0 record last week. In a 7-6 win over Columbia (SC), Motahari totaled one goal and one assist with nine draw controls, three caused turnovers and two ground balls. In a 12-7 victory over Chowan, Motahari scored four times, collected eight draw controls, grabbed five ground balls and caused two turnovers. Also Nominated: Maggie McDaniel, Piedmont.
Men's Tennis Player of the Week
Robert Kjellberg, N.C. Wesleyan - The senior from Vetlanda, Sweden earned a 3-0 record at number-one singles and a 4-0 mark at number-one doubles this week for the Bishops. In singles action, Kjellberg earned wins over opposition from Huntingdon, LaGrange and William Peace. In doubles play, Kjellberg teamed with Sebastian Sikh to defeat opponents from Huntingdon, LaGrange, William Peace and nationally-ranked Christopher Newport. Also Nominated: Matthew Harvie, Covenant; Nathan Metzger, Piedmont; Taylor Buchholz, Methodist; Sebastian Riveros Florez, Huntingdon.
Women's Tennis Player of the Week
Natalia Lopez, N.C. Wesleyan - The sophomore from Maracaibo, Venezuela earned a 3-0 record at both the number-one singles and doubles positions against USA South competition last week for the Bishops who captured the program's first-ever outright Conference Regular Season championship. In singles action, Lopez earned wins over opposition from William Peace, Huntingdon and LaGrange. In doubles play, Lopez teamed with Maria Fernanda Orona to grab the three victories. Also Nominated: Gracie Smith, Covenant; Nicole Parrish, Piedmont; Catherine Bryant, Meredith; Isabella Graf, Methodist.
Rookies of the Week
Baseball Rookie of the Week
Ethan Nieman, LaGrange - The freshman catcher from Spring Hill, Tennessee went a combined 4-for-7 (.571) with a .700 on-base percentage and a 1.000 slugging percentage to go along with three runs scored, three RBI, three doubles and two walks in a 1-3 week for the Panthers in-which Nieman only appeared in two games. Those two games were the second and third contests of a three-game series with USA South foe N.C. Wesleyan. Also Nominated: Dakota Beane, Huntingdon; Kyle Vidano, Averett; Evan Ezell, Maryville.
Baseball Rookie Pitcher of the Week
Jared Gonzalez, Huntingdon - The Navarre, Florida freshman earned a win in a 15-7 victory over USA South foe Ferrum in his only appearance on the mound last week for the Hawks. He tossed the first six innings and allowed four runs on eight hits with zero walks and four strikeouts.
Softball Rookie of the Week
Peyton Hyler, N.C. Wesleyan - The freshman infielder from Burlington, North Carolina went a combined 8-for-18 (.444) with a .474 on-base percentage and a .556 slugging percentage to go along with one run batted in, two doubles and one walk in a 4-2 week for the Bishops versus USA South competition. In a doubleheader split with William Peace, Hyler was a combined 3-for-6. In a doubleheader split with Huntingdon, Hyler was a combined 1-for-6. Finally, in a doubleheader sweep of LaGrange, Hyler was a combined 4-for-6 with one run batted in, two doubles and one walk. The one run batted in tied the game in the bottom of the ninth of the second game and led to the victory which secured a bid to the Conference Tournament for N.C. Wesleyan. Also Nominated: Becka Ross, Piedmont; Sarah Watson, Meredith; Laura Young, Averett; Kristen Bailly, Methodist.
Softball Rookie Pitcher of the Week
Courtney Rudd, Ferrum - The Burlington, North Carolina freshman posted a 2-0 record in two appearances, both complete-games, with a 0.50 ERA last week for the Panthers versus USA South competition. In 14.0 innings pitched, Rudd allowed just one run on seven hits with three walks and seven strikeouts. In a 2-1 win over Methodist, Rudd allowed just one run on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts. In a 2-0 victory over Maryville, Rudd earned a complete-game shutout as she allowed four hits with one walk and five strikeouts. Also Nominated: Logan Lowery, N.C. Wesleyan.
Lacrosse Rookie of the Week
Logan Ruck, Piedmont - The Peachtree City, Georgia freshman attacker tallied four goals in a 18-14 loss to Sewanee in the team's only action last week.
Men's Tennis Rookie of the Week
Sebastian Sikh, N.C. Wesleyan - The freshman from Eskilstuna, Sweden earned a 4-0 singles and doubles record this week for the Bishops. In singles action, Sikh earned three wins at the number-two position over opposition from Huntingdon, LaGrange and William Peace coupled with a victory at the top-single spot over David Reed of nationally-ranked Christopher Newport. In doubles play, Sikh teamed with Robert Kjellberg at the number-one position to defeat opponents from Huntingdon, LaGrange, William Peace and Christopher Newport. Also Nominated: Matthew Harvie, Covenant; Nathan Metzger, Piedmont; James Wright, Averett.
Women's Tennis Rookie of the Week
Ran Zhang, Meredith - The freshman from Kumming, China earned a 4-0 record in singles and doubles action last week for the Avenging Angels versus USA South competition. In singles play, Zhang earned three wins at the number-two position over opposition from Greensboro, Covenant and Maryville in addition to a victory at the number-one singles position over Mary Baldwin. In doubles action, Zhang teamed with Catherine Bryant at the number-one position to collect all four of the wins. Also Nominated: Christian Wade, Piedmont; Rachel Hui, N.C. Wesleyan; Davi Barbour, Methodist.