Adam Lee (Lipscomb) runs the bases for the 2014 Dutchmen.
Nick Morton, Washington and Jefferson- Morton, a two-year fan favorite for the Dutchmen, had one of his best weeks of the season at a perfect time, hitting .533 to help Washington and Jefferson to the Presidents Athletic Conference Tournament championship. Morton hit safely in all four games of the tournament, including a 3-for-4 effort in the second game of the tournament. Morton singled twice and scored twice in the championship game, a 17-5 victory over Thomas More. Morton’s efforts helped the Presidents to a berth in the Division III regionals.
Justin Brock, Franklin Pierce- Franklin Pierce continued a stellar season by winning the Northeast-10 championship, partly due to the efforts of the 2013 and 2014 Dutchmen speedster. Brock clubbed three doubles and scored four runs in the conference tournament. Brock capped the tournament with a 2-for-4 effort in the championship game, which extended the Raven winning streak to 27 games. Brock started a seventh-inning rally with an RBI single, and came around to score the game-tying run as Franklin Pierce rallied from a 5-1 deficit to win 6-5. Franklin Pierce was awarded the top seed and hosting duties in the Division II East Regional, and will open play against St. Thomas Aquinas.
Danny Hrbek, Radford- Hrbek led his Highlanders to a three-game sweep of Charleston Southern by hitting .500 on the series, including a walk off single in the middle game of the series. The infielder drove in a run in all three games of the series, and had his best game of the weekend on Saturday. The 2014 Dutchmen player went 4-for-6 with two runs scored, and his single through the right side gave Radford a 5-4 victory. He also opened scoring Sunday with a sacrifice fly in a game Radford would never trail. The sweep moved the Highlanders to 36-14 and 17-4 in conference play.
Adam Lee, Lipscomb- Lee, who starred for the Dutchmen in the 2014 season, scored five runs and belted a pair of home runs as the Bisons went 2-2 on the week. Lee homered in a 3-1 victory on Saturday, and also scored a run in the third inning of the win over Stetson. Lee followed that performance with a home run on Sunday that gave Lipscomb the lead. Lee went 3-for-4 in the series finale, and his two home runs gave him seven on the season, a total among the best in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
Tyler Fries, Wilmington- Fries, a 2014 Dutchmen pitcher, earned a save and a win in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament, with the win coming in the tournament championship game. Fries worked a scoreless ninth inning in the opening game, striking out two hitters in a 4-1 victory to earn the save. The reliever would then come on with two outs in the ninth inning of the final, tossing 3.1 innings of two-hit ball. Wilmington would score in the bottom of the 12th inning to win the conference title and give Fries the win. Wilmington earned the No. 4 seed in the Division II East Regional, and will face Southern New Hampshire in the opening round.
Matt Dacey, Richmond- One of the nation’s most prolific power hitters was at it again this week, as Dacey clubbed another four home runs to give him a season total of 17, good for second in the nation. The 2013 Dutchmen power hitter drilled two home runs in a midweek victory over Longwood, driving in six runs. He then added two home runs, one in the opener and one in the finale, in a series sweep over Dayton. Dacey drove in 13 runs on the week, and the big week gave him 49 RBIs on the season.
Chris Suseck, Rutgers- Suseck had a big week at the plate despite his Scarlet Knights dropping three games to No. 3 Illinois. The 2013 Dutchmen first baseman went 7-for-12 against the Illini, including two doubles and a home run. Suseck hit safely four times in the second game of the series, and accounted for both Rutgers runs. He followed with three hits and two RBIs in a 28-13 defeat in the series finale. His big weekend gave him 29 runs batted in, second on the Scarlet Knight roster.
James Davitt, Bryant- The 2013 Dutchmen hurler picked up a pair of wins out of the bullpen for Bryant as the Bulldogs recorded a four-game sweep of Farleigh Dickinson to move to 15-5 in conference play. Davitt recorded the final four outs on Friday, picking up the win when Bryant scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth. The righty struck out two hitters and allowed an unearned run on one hit. He then recorded a win on Saturday after retiring two hitters in the top of the seventh. Davitt’s wins gave him four on the season, all out of the bullpen.
Justin Brantley, Cleveland Indians organization- A two-time Dutchmen pitcher, Brantley recorded two scoreless outings for the Lynchburg Hillcats, the high A affiliate of the Indians. Brantley recorded the final seven outs for the Hillcats, including three strikeouts and just one hit allowed, in a 4-1 loss on Tuesday. The Siena alum who pitched for Albany in 2011 then went 1.1 innings and allowed just one hit in a 6-0 victory on Friday. Brantley has held hitters to a .190 average over 18.1 innings for the Hillcats.
Ben Klimesh (RHP), Cincinnati Reds organization- Klimesh, who played for the Dutchmen in 2009, had a week to remember, beginning with a two-inning save for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on Tuesday, as he struck out four of the seven hitters he faced. Klimesh then moved one step away from Major League Baseball on Wednesday, as he was promoted to the Triple-A Louisville Bats. His Louisville debut was a successful one, as he worked a scoreless ninth inning in a 3-0 victory. The Trinity University product has recorded a 1.54 ERA over 11.2 innings for the two teams.
Additionally, the following former and future Dutchmen qualified for the NCAA Regionals in Divisions II and III:
Division II: Sean Aspinall and Johnny Reid (Azusa Pacific), Jesse Cooper (Seton Hill), Justin Brock (Franklin Pierce), Tyler Fries (Wilmington), Steve Ghiardi and Tyler Orris (Millersville), Brian Ruhm (California Baptist), Michael Jurgella (St. Cloud State)
Division III: Nick Morton (Washington and Jefferson), Charles Parslow (Rensselaer), Nick Jewett and Dylan McGee (Trinity University)
