Bontempo named NAIA National Player of the Week
Derik Bontempo is the first Bruin to receive national recognition since 2015
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Bellevue University junior outfielder Derik Bontempo has been named the NAIA National Baseball Player of the Week and Nicholas Beardsley of Point Park has been named the NAIA National Baseball Pitcher of the Week, the national office announced Tuesday. Bontempo and Beardsley were selected based on their performances from March 27-April 2 and were chosen out of the conference and Association of Independent Institution award winners.
Bontempo continued to show why he's one of the best players in the NAIA this past week. The senior outfielder slashed an incredible .522/.480/1.000 over 23 at-bats and hit safely in all seven games the Bruins played. He recorded four multi-hit games including a three-hit game which featured a double and a home run against Presentation and another game in which he doubled and homered against York in mid-week action.
For Bontempo the award is the third time he's been named the league's Player of the Week during his two-year BU career. Last week he led the team in batting average, slugging percentage, hits (12), extra-base hits (6), RBI (9), and runs scored (7) on the week and has now reached base safely via hit or walk in 33 of 34 games this season.
With this recognition Bontempo becomes the sixth Bruin baseball player to be named a National Player or Pitcher of the Week. Osvaldo Gonzalez (2015), J.P. LaPointe (2005), and Chad Hopkins (1994) were previously named NAIA Player of the Week while Kyle Kinman (2014) and Maxx Catapano (2010) were each recognized as NAIA Pitcher of the Week.
Bontempo leads BU in hits (47), doubles (14), triples (3), extra-base hits (22), runs scored (34), and total bases (82) this season. Additionally he ranks second on the team in home runs (5), RBI (30), batting average (.427), on-base percentage (.485), and slugging average (.745).
The Bruins are currently riding a 21-game win streak and sit atop the North Star standings with a perfect 8-0 record in league play. Overall the Bruins are 28-6 on the season and next play on Wednesday, Apr. 5 at 4 p.m. against Midland University at Westgate Field.