GNAC Baseball Athlete of the Week Report #6

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Chas Terni Jr., Mitchell (Jr.)

Junior Chas Terni Jr. delivered a dominant week at the plate, batting .571 (8-for-14) with seven runs scored, two doubles, two home runs, and six RBI, while posting an elite .684 on-base percentage and a 1.143 slugging percentage. He recorded three multi-hit games, highlighted by a 3-for-4 performance with a home run and two RBI in a one-run game against Norwich. The right fielder also opened the week with a 2-for-3 outing with a double, home run, and two RBI in a 5–0 win over Albertus Magnus, in the process becoming the all time career leader in home runs in Mitchell's Division III era. Terni Jr. consistently produced throughout the week, reaching base 13 times in 19 plate appearances while adding four extra-base hits. He also scored multiple runs twice, including a three-run performance in a 19–5 win over Norwich.

PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Brandon Cahill, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) (Sr.)

Senior Brandon Cahill continued his dominant senior campaign for USJ, improving to 6–0 on the season with another stellar performance on the mound in a 11–0 victory over Dean College on Friday (4/3). The senior right-hander tossed his fifth consecutive complete game, scattering just two hits and allowing no earned runs for the fourth straight outing while striking out nine over seven innings.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Sam Balducci, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) (Fr.)

Freshman Sam Balducci continued to make a strong impact in his rookie campaign, batting .391 with a .500 on-base percentage and .522 slugging mark in a 5-2 week for the Blue Jays. The rookie started his week going 4-for-9 with three doubles, three RBIs, and three runs scored in a split doubleheader at NEC on Monday (3/30). He followed that up with a 1-for-2 day at the plate with a walk and a run scored in loss at Clark (4/1). Balducci closed his week going 4-for-10 with a walk and an RBI in a doubleheader sweep of Dean College on Friday (4/3).

WEEKLY HONOR ROLL

Noah Staffier, Colby-Sawyer - Staffier had his best week of the season where he would record at least 1 hit in four of the five games he played. Noah would bat .500 on the week, recording 8 total hits in 16 at bats. His best game would come during a 3-3 performance with 3 rbis in a win over Norwich where he also recorded a double and came across to score 3 times. He finished the week with a .526 on base percentage and .563 slugging to lead the Chargers this week.

Nason Busca, Elms - Busca homered twice in game 2 of Elms split doubleheader over Lasell and earned six RBI in the process, going 2-for-4.

Declan Silva, Lasell - Silva went 7-for-15 on a .467% average for the Lasers, including three multi-hit games across a four game week.

Ryan Dennis, Mitchell - Dennis was a catalyst at the top of the lineup for Mitchell during a 3–1 week, batting .533 (8-for-15) with five runs scored, seven RBI, and three stolen bases, while posting a .526 on-base percentage and .667 slugging percentage. Dennis recorded three multi-hit games on the week, highlighted by a standout performance in an 11–4 road win over Albertus Magnus, going 3-for-5 with a triple, three RBI, two runs scored, and two stolen bases. He also delivered a 2-for-3 effort with an RBI in a 5–0 shutout win in the first game of the doubleheader. He continued to produce in GNAC play against Norwich, going 2-for-4 with two RBI in a one-run game and adding another hit and RBI in a 19–5 victory.

Michael Ficocelli, Mitchell - Ficocelli was a driving force in Mitchell’s offense during a 3–1 week, batting .556 (10-for-18) with four runs scored, three doubles, and six RBI, while posting a .579 on-base percentage and .722 slugging percentage. He recorded four multi-hit performances, including a breakout showing in a 19–5 win over Norwich, going 4-for-4 with a double, three runs scored, and an RBI. Ficocelli also delivered consistent run production throughout the week, including two RBI efforts in both a win over Albertus Magnus and a one-run game against Norwich.

Thai-ler Sestokas, Mitchell - Sestokas was utterly dominant in his lone appearance on the week for Mitchell, tossing a complete-game shutout in a 5–0 conference win over Albertus Magnus. He worked all 7.0 innings, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out four, finishing with a 0.00 ERA and 0.29 WHIP. He faced minimal traffic throughout and kept Albertus Magnus off balance from start to finish, limiting the opposition to just a single baserunner via hit.

Ryan Cote, New England College - Cote slashed .538/.588/1.077 in four games for the Pilgrims this week. He tallied three extra-base hits, including two home runs - both of which came in a 14-11 win over the University of Saint Joseph on Monday. He added six RBIs, six runs scored, and a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.

Michael Sabasteanski, Norwich - Sabasteanski was clutch at the plate and was key in Norwich's wins this week including a grand slam to clinch the win over Colby-Sawyer and the game-winning RBI in extra innings against Mitchell. In total, he slashed .313/.450/.50 with 8 RBI.

Seabastian Reis, Rivier - Reis went 5 for 9 with a .556 batting average, .556 on base percentage, a .556 slugging percentage, and perfect fielding percentage in the split with Saint Joseph's (Me.). In game two, Reis went 4 for 5 with four singles and a run scored, helping the Raiders take game two, 9-5.

Tyler Nelson, Saint Joseph's (Maine) - Nelson turned in a gem in Saint Joseph’s 5-2 win over Rivier on Wednesday, firing five scoreless innings while allowing just four hits and one walk with six strikeouts. He set the tone early and kept Rivier off the board throughout his outing to earn the win.

Ryan Shaw, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) - Shaw put together an impressive week at the plate across seven games as the Blue Jays posted a 5–2 record. The senior went 12-for-29 (.414) with a .452 on-base percentage and a .586 slugging percentage, totaling a 1.038 OPS. He opened the week with a 5-for-9 performance, adding two extra-base hits, four RBIs, and three runs scored in a split doubleheader at New England College on Monday (3/30). After going 1-for-4 in a midweek game at Clark on Wednesday (4/1), Shaw went 5-for-9 with a walk, three RBIs, and four runs scored in a GNAC doubleheader sweep over Dean College on Friday (4/3). The senior infielder closed out the week by going 1-for-7 with a run scored in a doubleheader sweep over Colby-Sawyer at home on Saturday (4/4).

ABOUT THE GREAT NORTHEAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 14 member institutions and over 4000 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 20 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience.

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