2022-23 ODAC Baseball Players of the Week
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Hunter Cole, Randolph-Macon, Sr., Outfielder
May 01, 2023Cole, a senior from Norfolk, Va., posted an eye-opening 2.394 OPS powered by a slash line of .545/.667/1.727 slash line in Randolph-Macon's three games last week. All six of Cole's hits went for extra-bases with three homers, two doubles, and a triple. In a 12-5 victory over Virginia Wesleyan, Cole opened his week going 2-for-5 with a triple and a grand slam over the right-field fence to turn a one-run lead into a 10-5 advantage in the seventh inning. Despite the Yellow Jackets being swept (10-6, 15-2) at Roanoke, Cole reached base on 8-of-10 plate appearances with four more extra-base hits. He went 1-for-3 with a pair walks in game one, leaving the yard via a two-run bomb to right-center in the third inning. In game two, he went 3-for-3 with two more walks and a stolen base. He doubled twice and hammered a solo shot to right to open the game's scoring. For the season, Cole is slashing .318/.436/.649 with his SLG ranking sixth in the league. He is second in the ODAC with 11 homers and four triples. He is fourth in runs (47) and fifth in total bases (98). He has driven in 39 runs. -
Jacob Faivre, Shenandoah, Sr., Starter
May 01, 2023Faivre, a senior from Chesapeake, Va., put together a strong start in leading nationally third-ranked Shenandoah to a 2-1 victory at Ferrum College. Faivre worked the first 7.0 frames and allowed just one unearned run on four hits. He did not issue any free passes and struck out eight batters for the second straight start. Three of four hits Faivre allowed came in the first two innings. He set down 13 straight thereafter before a batter reached via error in the seventh, scoring the Panthers' run. For the season, Faivre is 6-0 in 13 appearances including 12 starts. He leads the ODAC with 78 strikeouts in 64.1 innings on the hill. He owns a 2.52 ERA and opponents are hitting .182 against him.
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Benton Jones, Lynchburg, Fy., 2nd Base
April 24, 2023Jones, a first-year from Raleigh, N.C., put together a strong week in helping nationally seventh-ranked Lynchburg to a to a 3-1 week that included a 4-3 victory over #9 Randolph-Macon and an ODAC doubleheader split (3-2 in 10 inn., 4-6) at #3 Shenandoah. Jones went 9-for-15 overall with four walks to account for his .684 OBP. He legged out a pair of triples and homered on his way to four RBI and four runs scored with a pair of stolen bases. Against R-MC, Jones went 2-for-4 and came around to score the go-ahead run on Avery Neaves' single in the seventh inning. In a 7-6 win over William Peace in non-conference action, Jones went 2-for-3 with a pair of walks. He tripled twice, driving in the go-ahead run in the seventh with his first three-bagger and scoring the insurance run in the ninth inning on a wild pitch and tripling to right-center. At Shenandoah, Jones went a combined 5-for-8 with two walks, a homer, three RBI, two runs scored, and two steals. In game one, his infield single in the 10th inning allowed Neaves to score the eventual game-winning run. In game two, Jones reached all five times at the dish in going 3-for-3 with a pair of walks. He tried to trigger a rally in the ninth inning as his two-run blast brought Lynchburg to within two at 6-4, with that serving as the game's final score. For the season, Jones is slashing .320/.465/.640, with the latter number ranking seventh on the ODAC's slugging list. He has registered five doubles and five homers to go with 16 RBI and 24 runs scored.
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Jack Bachmore, Lynchburg, Sr., Closer
April 24, 2023Bachmore, a senior from Alexandria, Va., worked 7.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen for Lynchburg last week and earned a pair of victories against nationally ranked ODAC opponents. Bachmore entered in the sixth inning against nationally ninth-ranked Randolph-Macon. He allowed only two hits to the Yellow Jackets in 4.0 innings. He walked a pair of batters and fanned six to earn a 4-3 win. On the road at nationally third-ranked Shenandoah, Bachmore again worked multiple innings in relief to collected a 3-2 victory. He gave up two hits and walked a pair in his 3.1 innings of work. He struck out four batters, including the last two of the contest to strand a runner at second base in the 10th inning. For the season, Bachmore is 5-0 with an ODAC-best seven saves. He has appeared 17 times -- third-most in the league -- covering 49.0 innings on the hill. His 64 strikeouts are third-best in the conference, while his 11.76 strikeouts-per-nine ratio is second in the ODAC. He owns a league-low and Division III sixth-best 1.10 ERA with opponents hitting .181 against him.
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Tyler Blittersdorf, Shenandoah, Jr., Catcher
April 17, 2023Blittersdorf, a junior from Oxford, Pa., posted a 1.745 OPS (.563 OBP, 1.182 SLG) to help nationally third-ranked Shenandoah to a 2-1 ODAC week that featured a 10-2 triumph over Bridgewater and a split (10-5, 7-8) at #10 Randolph-Macon. Blittersdorf went 5-for-11 overall with two doubles, two homers, 10 RBI, four runs scored, and three walks. Against Bridgewater, he went 2-for-5 with a grand slam in the second inning and an RBI double in the sixth. He kicked off scoring in game one at R-MC with a solo shot to left. He walked twice and scored two runs in that game. In game two, he went 2-for-4 with a walk. He tied the game 1-all with a RBI single in the fifth, gave SU to a 5-1 lead with a two-run double down the rightfield line in the sixth, and then tied the game for the last time with a sacrifice fly in the eighth. For the season, Blittersdorf is slashing .444/.525/.800 with five doubles, three homers, and 20 RBI.
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Owen Tappy, Hampden-Sydney, Sr., Starter
April 17, 2023Tappy, a senior from Charlotte, N.C., registered his ODAC-best third complete game of the conference season and fifth start of at least eight innings in helping Hampden-Sydney down Washington and Lee University, 6-1, on the road on Saturday. Tappy tossed a seven-hitting over nine against against the Generals, allowing one run. He did not issue any free passes and fanned six batters. He need just 104 pitches (79) to finish the game, which featured 10 ground ball outs. He enjoyed several stretches of four or five batters retired in a row. For the season, Tappy is 5-1 in 16 total appearances including six starts. He has worked an ODAC-high 67.2 innings and faced the most batters (264) of any pitcher this season. He is third with a 1.73 ERA and fourth with 54 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting .250 against him.
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Brody Langlotz, Roanoke, Fy., Outfielder
April 10, 2023Langlotz, a first-year from Panama City, Fla., slashed .615/.667/1.000 in Roanoke's 3-1 week that included a split with nationally third-ranked Shenandoah. Langlotz, who went 8-for-13 from the dish with at least one RBI in each game, opened with a 3-for-4 showing in a 17-11 win over Ferrum. He doubled and drove in two runs while scoring three times in that outing. In a 13-5 win over Maryville (Tenn.) in non-conference action, Langlotz went 1-for-2 with a three-run double in the first inning. He also scored a run. In the series against Shenandoah, Langlotz went 2-for-4 in game one, smacking a solo homer and scoring twice in the Maroons 7-6 victory. He went 2-for-3 with a walk in game, driving in his seventh run of the week in a 6-3 loss to the Hornets. For the season, Langlotz is hitting .455 with a .500 OBP and .818 SLG. He has homered three times and driven in 11 runs.
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Zack Potts, Lynchburg, Sr., Starter
April 10, 2023Potts, a senior from Oilville, Pa., picked up his Division III-leading eighth victory of the season -- tied for the most across all three NCAA divisions -- with a 3-0 shutout of Ferrum. It marks the first complete game thrown by a Lynchburg pitcher since April 17, 2021 and is the first shutout tossed by a Hornet since Potts recorded his first against Bridgewater on May 15, 2021. Against Ferrum, Potts allowed seven baserunners on five hits and a pair of walks. He struck out a career-high 10 batters. He retired the first eight batters he faced and 12 of the first 13. He struck out at least one batter in seven of the nine innings. For the season, Potts is 8-0 covering eight appearances, all starts. He owns a 1.99 ERA and has struck out 53 batters in 54.1 innings on the hill. Opponents are hitting .238 against him.
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Carrson Atkins, Lynchburg, Gr., Centerfield
April 03, 2023Atkins, a graduate student from Charlottesville, Va., played both ever-present baserunner and run-producer roles in helping nationally 11th-ranked Lynchburg post a 4-0 week against a trio of foes. Atkins slashed .643/.688/1.286 over the four contests, going 9-for-14 with five extra-base hits and 10 RBI with nine runs scored and a pair of stolen bases. He open with a 2-for-4 day in a 7-4 triumph over Hampden-Sydney. He doubled and scored a run against the Tigers. Atkins then reached base on on 4-of-5 occasions in a 14-6 mauling of 14th-ranked Christopher Newport University. He went 3-for-3 with a walk while blasting a two-run homer in the sixth to go with a RBI sac bunt to score a run in the third and a RBI double in the seventh. In a sweep (5-3, 13-1) of Eastern Mennonite, Atkins went 4-for-7 with a double in game one and a grand slam to power a six-RBI effort in game two. He posted his second three-hit game of the week in the latter contest. For the season, Atkins is slashing .378/.478/.662 with his SLG ranking sixth in the ODAC. He is third with five homeruns to go with six doubles and 22 RBI.
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Wesley Arrington, Lynchburg, Sr., Starter
April 03, 2023Arrington, a senior from Keswick, Va., took the ball for Lynchburg twice against ODAC foes this week and earned a pair of conference victories for the nationally 11th-ranked Hornets. Arrington started and worked the first five innings towards a 7-4 victory over Hampden-Sydney College. He allowed one run on three hits. He did not walk a batter and fanned six Tigers. He rolled up six ground ball outs and retired 10 of the first 11 batters he faced with the lone baserunner reaching via error. Arrington followed up his Tuesday start with seven one-hit innings to earn a 13-1 win over Eastern Mennonite. He gave up one run and walked a batter, but made up for the free pass with a career-high 11 strikeouts. He opened game by setting down 17 of the first 20 Royals he faced with two hit batsmen and a walk his only blemishes until allowing an RBI triple in the sixth inning. For the season, Arrington is 3-0 in eight appearances including five starts covering 28.2 innings of work. He has struck out 35 batters towards a 10.99 K's/9 ratio, fourth best in the ODAC. He owns a 3.77 ERA and opponents are hitting .227 off him.
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Avery Neaves, Lynchburg, Sr., Outfielder
March 27, 2023Neaves, a senior from Reston, Va., picks up his first ODAC weekly award of the season after leading the nationally 12th-ranked Lynchburg to a trio of ODAC wins. Neaves slashed .615/.667/1.231 over the three outings and contributed to 21 of the Hornets 31 total runs scored. He opened with a 3-for-5 showing in an 11-8 victory over Virginia Wesleyan in a single mid-week conference game. He legged out a triple and drove in five runs while scoring twice and stealing a pair of bases. Neaves began a double-header road sweep of Washington and Lee with a 2-for-3 outing in a 6-4 triumph in game one. He walked once, drove in a pair and scored a run while again swiping two bases. In the latter part of the twinbill, Neaves drove in runs on four different at bats to post seven RBI in a 14-3 triumph. He posted a RBI single and plated a second with a fielder's choice. He capped this three-hit day with a pair of homers to left -- a two-run blast in the sixth and a three-run bomb in the seventh. The reigning ODAC Player of the Year and All-American has now left the yard 30 times in two-plus seasons with 161 RBI. This year, Neaves is slashing .382/.516/.632 with four homers and 27 RBI.
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Jacob Bell, Shenandoah, Sr., Starter
March 27, 2023Bell, a senior from Winchester, Va., picks up his second straight ODAC weekly pitching award after going the distance in nationally fifth-ranked Shenandoah's 4-1 triumph at Bridgewater College during a single-game conference mid-week matchup. Bell surrendered one run and scattered six hits in his second straight complete game of the season. He has spent 26.0 innings on the hill over his last three starts, giving up only one run on 15 hits during that stretch. Bellow fanned four Eagles on Wednesday and allowed just one free pass. He closed the game by retiring 10 consecutive batters. He registered eight ground ball outs and offered up 73 strikes among his 105 pitches. For the season, Bell is 3-0 in six total appearances including four starts covering 39.1 innings of work. He has allowed just three runs on 27 hits with 29 strikeouts. He owns the ODAC's best ERA at 0.69 with opponent's hitting just .200 against him.
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Kooper Anderson, Shenandoah, Sr., Outfielder
March 20, 2023Anderson, a senior from Clear Brook, Va., picks up his second weekly award of the season after helping nationally sixth-ranked Shenandoah to a 5-0 week that opened with a 2-1 victory in 10 innings over #2 Salisbury University. Anderson, who went 12-for-25 with 10 RBI for the week, smacked a pair of hits including a game-tying RBI triple in the 10th inning and came around to score the winning run on Colby Martin's sacrifice fly. Anderson went 4-for-7 in a 16-4 victory at Mary Washington two days later. He doubled, drove in three, and scored three times against the Eagles. He collected his second triple of the week and against drove in three runs as part of a 3-for-6 outing in a 17-5 victory over Nichols. On the weekend, Anderson went 3-for-8 with two doubles, three RBI and a run scored in the Hornets sweep (9-6, 8-3) of ODAC foe Guilford College. For the the season, Anderson is slashing .419/.457/.677 with 16 RBI. He is second in the conference with three triples.
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Jacob Bell, Shenandoah, Sr., Starter
March 20, 2023Bell, a senior from Winchester, Va., put in a stellar shift on the circle in helping nationally sixth-ranked Shenandoah down #2 Salisbury University, 2-1, in 10 innings last week. Bell fired nine shutout innings towards a no-decision as the Hornets managed two runners across in the 10th following the Sea Gulls one 10th-inning tally. Bell worked around seven Salisbury hits and a pair of Hornet errors while issuing just one walk. He fanned a pair. He threw just 96 pitches in the effort, rolling up 13 ground ball outs along the way. For the season, Bell is 2-0 with a save in five appearances including three starts. He had given up only two runs towards an ODAC second-best 0.59 ERA in 30.1 innings of work. He had struck out 25 batters and walked seven. Opponents are hitting .202 against him.
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Matt Sinko, Virginia Wesleyan, Sr., Catcher
March 13, 2023Sinko, a senior from Middletown Del., posted a 1.996 OPS powered by a .615/.688/1.308 slash line in helping Virginia Wesleyan to a 1-1-1 week. Sinko hit safely in all three games with multiple hits including a 4-for-5 effort with three doubles and four RBI to go with two runs scored in a 14-5 victory over Guilford in game one of their doubleheader. In game two, Sinko went 2-of-3 with a run driven in and run scored in a 5-5 tie. The Marlins squared off with Penn State-Harrisburg in their first game of the week, falling to the Lions, 16-12. Sinko went 2-for-5 with both his knocks leaving the yard. He belted a two-run shot to left in the third inning and followed with a solo blast to left-center in the sixth. He also scored twice and walked in that contest. For the season, Sinko is slashing at .352/.435/.630 with three homers and 14 RBI.
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Caleb Lingenfelter, Roanoke, Sr., Starter
March 13, 2023Lingenfelter, a senior from Salem, Va., kept Eastern Mennonite's offense off-balance over nine innings for his first complete game of the season in Roanoke's 8-1 victory in Harrisonburg. Lingenfelter allowed just two hits and rolled up 17 ground ball outs. He walked just one batter and struck out three while tossing 98 pitches (64 strikes). Lingenfelter enjoyed several small runs of consecutive outs, but closed the game on an eight-out run to improve to 3-1 in four starts. In 26.1 innings of work, he as allowed 20 hits (.213 OPP BA) and owns a 2.73 earned run average.
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Coby Martin, Shenandoah, Jr., 2nd Base
March 06, 2023Martin, a junior from Lititz, Pa., is enjoying a strong return from injury as he helped Shenandoah to a 3-1 week that included a pair of victories over nationally 22nd-ranked Oswego State. Martin went 8-for-13 over the four contests and posted a .615/.706/1.000 slash line. He doubled twice and smacked a homer, which happened to be a game-winning blast in a 7-5 victory over Mount Aloysius in the #11 Hornets first game of the week. Martin had four hits in that outing and three more including a double with two RBI and a stolen base in a 4-1 victory over Oswego. He walked twice, drove in a run, and stole a base in SU's first loss of the season, an 11-2 final against SUNY Cortland. Martin singled, drove in two more runs, and stole two bases to help Shenandoah move to 10-1 with a 5-3 win over Oswego. For the season, Martin is slashing .353/.488/.529 with 18 RBI and nine stolen bases, the latter total leading the ODAC.
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Will Turner, Roanoke, Sr., Starter
March 06, 2023Turner, a senior from Moneta, Va., made the most of his first appearance of the year as he went the distance in leading Roanoke to a 8-1 victory over Franklin & Marshall College. Turner toss all nine frames for a traditional complete game. He allowed one run and scattered six hits. He did not walk a batter and fanned five. Turner surrendered his lone run and three hits in the first inning, but enjoyed several stretches of consistent success including 10 straight outs from the fifth through eighth innings. He rolled up two double-play balls and induced 10 ground ball outs in controlling the Diplomats offense.
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Isaiah Hairston, Guilford, Sr., 1st Base
February 27, 2023Hairston, a senior from High Point, N.C., registered at least two hits and one RBI in all five games played last week, leading Guilford for a 3-2 showing. The Quakers split with Castleton (12-17, 15-3) and Brevard (17-12, 6-8) and took a single game from Northern Vermont-Lyndon, 9-8. Hairston went 11-for-22 overall with two doubles, three homeruns, 10 RBI, eight runs scored, and three walks. He went for extra bases once in each game. He homered and drove in three runs in game one against Castleton and doubled with a RBI and two runs scored in game two. Hairston went 3-for-5 with a home and two RBI against NVL and left the yard again in game one against Brevard, and doubled with two RBI in game two. For the season, Hairston is slashing .533/.615/1.133 with four homers and 13 RBI.
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Hayden Snelsire, Randolph-Macon, Sr., Starter
February 27, 2023Snelsire, a senior from Berlin, Md., improved to 2-0 on the season with a 2-0 victory over Alvernia. Snelsire, who has yet to give up a run this year over two starts and 12.0 inning, blanked the Golden Wolves for seven innings in the planned seven-inning contest to account for a complete game shutout. He allowed just two hits and one walk, accounting for the only three runners to reach base. Only one advanced to second base, where he was ultimately stranded. Snelsire fanned nine batters including the first two he faced. He opened the game retiring four in a row including three via punchout. He set down seven straight twice in a dominant effort where 66 of his 88 pitches (75%) went for strikes.
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Ethan Currin, Hampden-Sydney, Sr., Catcher/DH
February 20, 2023Currin, a senior from Toano, Va., was a juggernaut at the dish in leading Hampden-Sydney to three wins to open the 2023 season. Currin belted four homeruns and drove in 11 runs overall with a 1.583 slugging percentage and 2.146 OPS. In H-SC's schedule-opening 6-4 victory at Williams Peace, H-SC's designated hitter doubled and walked in five plate appearances with a RBI. Again serving as a DH in the first of two games on Saturday, Currin blasted two homers and drove in five runs while scoring three times in a 15-4 win over Mary Baldwin. He also drew a pair of walks. He again smacked two homers and drove in five as he took up position behind the plate in the Tigers 14-4 victory over Washington College later on Saturday. He added a single and scored five times to complete his line.
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Evan Blair, Washington and Lee, So., Reliever
February 20, 2023Blair, a sophomore from Vienna, Va., came in and not only stopped the bleeding as a relief option for Washington and Lee, but dominated Ursinus College in his four frames to help the Generals post a 9-8 victory over the Bears. Blair faced the minimum following an unblemished 12-out appearance after entering with W&L trailing, 4-3, in the fourth inning and left with the Generals ahead, 8-3, through seven frames. Blair struck out five batters, including two apiece in his final two innings.
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Kooper Anderson, Shenandoah, Sr., Outfielder
February 13, 2023Anderson, a senior from Clear Brook, Va., rattled off four hits and reached back five times in helping Shenandoah open the season with a sweep of Widener University. In a 13-2 triumph in game one, Anderson went 3-for-3 with a walk and four runs scored. He smacked a double and legged out a triple while also stealing three bases over the course of a five-pitch sequence. In game two, the outfielder belted a solo homer in two official at bats to help the Hornets to a 3-1 win.
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Reilly Owen, Shenandoah, Sr., Starter
February 13, 2023Owen, a senior from Charlottesville, Va., started off his season in nearly unblemished fashion as he started and registered the victory in a 3-1 decision over Widener University. Owen worked the first 5.0 frames and did not allow a hit or a walk. The only baserunner to reach against SU's righty came via a wild pitch on a called third strike. Otherwise, he set down the first nine batters he faced and finished with five strikeouts.
