LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference announced its Baseball Athletes of the Week. In the West, IUP's Harrison Pontoli was selected as Athlete of the Week while Mercyhurst's Ryan Rafalski and Pitt-Johnstown's Rodney Schultz were selected as Co-Pitchers of the Week. In the East, Mansfield's Jacob Houtz (Athlete) and Shippensburg's JT Weaver (Pitcher) earned the honors.
Western Division Athlete of the Week
Harrison Pontoli
IUP
Infielder
Fifth Year
Beaver, Pa. / Beaver Area
Pontoli helped IUP sweep California last weekend, going 10-for-24 (.417) with 11 runs scored, five RBIs, and a home run--in addition to delivering a walk-off single on Sunday in game one's 6-5 win over the Vulcans. Pontoli continues to inch toward 200 career hits (currently at 194) as one of the most consistent batters in Crimson Hawk program history.
Western Division Co-Pitcher of the Week
Ryan Rafalski
Mercyhurst
Pitcher
Senior
Warren, Pa. / Warren Area
Rafalski spun up a no-hitter against Pitt-Johnstown in last weekend's 4-0 win, striking out two batters and walking six. In the two teams' other game of the day, Pitt-Johnstown's Rodney Schultz countered with a no-hitter of his own, marking only the sixth time in Division II history that a pair of no-hitters were thrown in the same doubleheader -- and first in the PSAC since April 11, 2016, when a pair of Mansfield pitchers replicated the feat against Kutztown.
Western Division Co-Pitcher of the Week
Rodney Schultz
Pitt-Johnstown
Pitcher
Junior
Tyrone, Pa. / Tyrone
Shultz tossed a complete-game no-hitter in Pitt-Johnstown's 1-0 victory over Mercyhurst to open the four-game PSAC Western Division series last Saturday. He allowed just one walk and struck out eight in 90 pitches, facing just one batter over the minimum.
Eastern Division Athlete of the Week
Jacob Houtz
Mansfield
Outfield
Junior
Schuylkill Haven, Pa. / Schuylkill Haven
Houtz led Mansfield to a 3-1 weekend versus Kutztown, batting .769 (10-for-13) with five runs, eight RBIs, a double, and two home runs. He opened the series on the road against the Golden Bears, tallying three hits (including a grand slam) in game one of the series and added another three hits with a double, two RBIs, and two runs scored in game two.
Eastern Division Pitcher of the Week
J.T. Weaver
Shippensburg
Pitcher
Sophomore
Lancaster, Pa. / Manheim Township
Weaver tossed a four-hit shutout in Game 1 of the Raiders doubleheader sweep at No. 9 Millersville Saturday. Against the conference's second-ranked offense in terms of batting average (.319) and runs scored (297), Weaver scattered just four hits and two walks over seven frames. He struck out four Marauder hitters and forced 11 flyouts. Weaver hit his stride in the third inning, collecting eight consecutive outs before the Marauders threatened in the sixth inning. In the seventh, Weaver struck out the final two batters to clinch the 5-0 Raider victory. The outing marked his first career complete-game shutout and was his first complete game of the season. It was the first time the Marauders had been shutout at home during the regular season in 11 years — when East Stroudsburg's Brian Ernst struck out 15 batters in a shutout on May 3, 2013.