DALLAS (April 21) – Wheeling University junior outfielder
Chris Iazzetta (Clinton, N.J./IMG Academy) was selected by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America (NCBWA) as the Division II National Hitter of the Week announced the organization Wednesday afternoon.
Iazzetta, who was also named the Mountain East Conference (MEC) Co-Hitter of the Week and NCBWA Atlantic Region Hitter of the Week, helped the Cardinals (19-8, 15-5 MEC) sweep the team's four-game series at Frostburg State this past weekend. He went 10 for 17 (.588) with three home runs, two doubles, 13 RBIs, seven runs scored and three stolen bases.
In the series finale on Sunday, the New Jersey native went 4-for-6 with two home runs, six RBIs and two runs scored to help Wheeling hold on for a 15-11 win in extra innings.
Iazzetta went a perfect 4-for-4 in the first game on Sunday with two RBIs, three runs scored and two stolen bases.
Iazzetta is the fourth player and third hitter from the Atlantic Region to earn national honors from the NCBWA, but the first player from the MEC to be selected for the honor. The Atlantic Region includes the MEC and the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC).
He currently leads the team with a .338 batting average and a .649 slugging percentage. Iazzetta also is tied for sixth in the MEC with five home runs this season. He and sophomore catcher
Riley Cameron (Vass, N.C./Union Pines) each have hit five and sit one behind the Wheeling single-season home run record of six set by
Dillon Sunnafrank in 2016.
The series sweep at Frostburg State was the first time the Cardinals took all four games of a series since 2014. Wheeling swept West Virginia Wesleyan in a four-game series at the JB Chambers I-470 Complex on March 22-23 of that season.
Wheeling is one win shy of establishing a new single-season wins record and they will look to do so this weekend when it welcomes Notre Dame College (11-15, 8-10 MEC) to the I-470 Complex. The four-game series begins on Saturday, April 24 at 1 p.m.
