by Matt Plante
Vice President
Weekly Top Tier Alumni D2/D3/NAIA/NJCAA Roundup:
Top Performances of Top Tier players playing in NCAA Division 2/ Division 3/ NAIA and NJCAA Baseball (February 1st-February 23rd)
Jacob Nagel, Bellarmine RHP is the top performer after making 2 relief appearance this past week, giving up only 1 run in 8 innings of work while striking out 8.
Jacob Nagel, Bellarmine
Nagel in the first few weeks of D2 play has pitched really well out of the bullpen. Nagel has made two appearances totaling 8 innings in relief giving up only 1 run off 5 hits and 1 walk while striking out 8. Bellarmine is 5-4 overall on the year after getting swept by #8 ranked North Greenville to start the season, then they swept Union and took 2 of 3 from Hillsdale.
Jake Lotz, Lewis
Lotz picked a big save this past weekend vs. Lee University to help the Flyers get their only win over the opening weekend. Lotz went 3 innings giving up 0 runs off 1 hit and 1 walk while striking out 4. Lewis is 1-2 overall to start the year.
Eric Lundell, Concordia - St. Paul
Lundell made his 1st collegiate appearance on the mound in relief vs. #4 ranked Central Missouri over the weekend. Lundell pitched 0.2 innings giving up 0 runs off 0 hits while striking out 1. Concordia St. Paul got swept to start the season 0-3 overall.
Brett Taucher, Quincy
Taucher made two relief appearances in the first two weekends vs. St. Leo and Mississippi College. Taucher threw a total of 4 innings giving up 2 runs off 3 hits and 4 walks while striking out 2. Quincy took 2 of 3 from St. Leo and Mississippi College over the first two weekends and are 4-2 overall and ranked #38 ranked in the nation.
Will Wirt, Truman State
Wirt has gotten a start once a weekend for the 1st three weekends of play for the Bulldogs. In those 3 games started behind the dish, Wirt is 2 for 6, hitting .333 with 2 walks. Truman State is 3-8 overall to start the year.
Nathan Deloian, Carson Newman
Deloian has made 7 appearances on the mound as Carson Newman started their respective seasons on February 1st. Carson Newman is 11-5 overall on the year and Deloian has 7 innings total pitched giving up 5 earned runs off 8 hits and 4 walks while striking out 6 with an ERA of 6.43.
Max Engstrom, Indiana-Wesleyan
Engstrom made his college debut out of the bullpen in his 1st weekend of play picking up the loss vs. IU-Southeast tossing 4 innings giving up 4 runs off 6 hits and 2 walks while striking out 2. Engstrom got to get a start the following weekend vs. Georgetown (KY) getting a no-decision for his efforts where he went 5 innings giving up 5 runs off 8 hits and 1 walk while striking out 1. IU-Wesleyan is 3-5 overall to start the season.
Andy Booth, St. Leo
Booth had made 4 appearances in relief as a freshman for the Lions since the start of the season, throwing a total of 6 innings giving up 5 runs off 10 hits while striking out 7. St. Leo is 2-10 overall to start the season and Booth has a 7.50 ERA.
Jake Huber, Augustana infielder is the top performer after hitting .357 over the first weekend of D3 play with 3 doubles and 4 RBI's.
Jake Huber, Augustana
Huber had a great start on opening weekend at the RussMatt Invitational going 5 for 14, hitting .357 with 3 doubles and 4 RBIs. Augustana beat Elmiria and lost to Brandeis and Cabrini to start the year 1-2 overall.
Matthew Kann, Franklin & Marshall
Kann collected hits in both games played on opening weekend, going 3 for 7 with 3 RBIs. The Diplomats however lost both games vs. Penn State-Harrisburg and are 0-2 to start the year.
Maclain Neal, DePauw
Neal went 2 for 6 with a double and 2 RBIs in the opening weekend. DePauw however lost all four games on the weekend and are 0-4 overall to start the year.
Nick Baldassano, Aurora
Baldassano got one pinch-hit at bat vs. Ohio Northern this past weekend in the Derby Classic. Baldassano delivered with a single to help the Spartans go 3-0 to start the season, beating Ohio Northern, Dubuque and Spalding. Aurora is ranked #18 in the nation in recent polls.
Brenden Heiss, Southeastern RHP is the top performer in NAIA after collecting 3 wins on the mound in his first 4 starts and striking out 22 hitters in only 17 innings of work.
Brenden Heiss, Southeastern
Heiss had a rough first start of the year vs. #5 ranked Georgia Gwinnett going only 1.1 innings giving up 2 runs off 0 hits and 1 walk. After that 1st start, Heiss has gone on to make three more starts, winning every game he has pitched in. Heiss has beaten Grand View, Thomas and Warner. Heiss in those three wins has thrown a total of 17 innings giving up 5 runs off 11 hits and 11 walks while striking out a staggering 22 hitters. Southeastern is 13-1 overall to start the year.
Ben Zordani, St. Xavier
Zordani went 5 for 13, hitting .385 with 2 RBIs in the first few weeks of play. St. Xavier is 2-5 overall to start the season.
Michael Kruse, Benedictine (KS)
Kruse has had three starts this season for the Ravens so far. Kruse’s best outing was vs. St. Mary (KS) where he tossed 7 innings in the win giving up 0 earned runs off 4 hits and 1 walk while striking out 2. Benedictine is 11-6 overall to start the year.
Angel Sandoval, St. Francis
Sandoval has made two starts this year, in both outings he went a total of 6 innings giving up 5 runs off 5 hits and 1 walk while striking out 8. St. Francis got swept by Lyon and lost 3 of 4 vs. Cumberland this past weekend to fall to 1-6 overall on the year.
Nick Villasenor, St. Francis
Villasenor has pitched twice in the first two weekends tossing a total of 5 innings giving up 5 runs off 8 hits and 3 walks while striking out 2. St. Francis is 1-6 overall after getting swept by Lyon and losing 3 of 4 vs. Cumberland.
Andrew Hoffmann, John A. Logan CC RHP is the top performer as he is 3-0 on the mound in his 1st three starts with the Vols. Hoffmann has a 2.25 ERA with 31 strikeouts in only 16 innings of work.
Andrew Hoffmann, John A. Logan CC
Hoffmann has been electric for the Vols in his 1st three starts. Hoffman is 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA. In just 16 innings, Hoffmann has only given up 4 runs off 9 hits and 3 walks while striking out an amazing 31 hitters. The Vols are 12-0 overall to start the season and are looking like the team to try to beat to win a JUCO National Championship this year.
Ryan Hampe, John A. Logan CC
Hampe is 18 for 42, hitting .429 with a double, two homers and 15 RBI’s in his first 12 games. Hampe continues to be an amazing hitter even at the JUCO level. Hampe as a freshman at the D1 level with UIC last season was one of the top hitters in all of D1 baseball and continues to be a feared hitter across this level now as well.
Mike Carey, John A. Logan CC
Carey is 10 for 25, hitting .400 for the Vols with two doubles and 7 RBIs. Carey looks to be another middle infielder that can hit in the Vols lineup. The Vols are 12-0 overall to start the season.
Vincent Massaglia, ICC
Massaglia was 3 for 11 on opening weekend with 2 home runs and 3 RBIs. ICC however lost all 5 games and are 0-5 overall to start the season.
Jimmy Carey, St. Charles CC
Carey in his 1st weekend of collegiate baseball went 3 for 11 with a double and 2 RBIs. St. Charles is 0-4 overall after getting swept by Cleveland State this past weekend.
