Rookie tossed a complete game shutout; senior batted .625 with six extra base hits

April 5, 2011 

Contact: Amanda Dahl, NAIA Manager of Sports Information & Media Services, adahl@naia.org 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Ryan O'Gara of Webber International (Fla.) has been named the NAIA National Baseball Pitcher of the Week and Madonna's (Mich.) Jeff Bultinck has been tabbed National Player of the Week, the national office announced Tuesday. O'Gara and Bultinck were selected based on their performances from March 28 - April 3 and were chosen out of a pool of conference/independent/unaffiliated groupings. 

O'Gara threw a complete 1-0 shutout victory over Warner (Fla.) in The Sun Conference action on April 2. The freshman surrendered three hits and issued just one free pass. He struck out 10 batters and finished the outing with 78 strikes and 22 balls thrown. O'Gara, a native of Riverview, Fla., ranks eighth nationally in total innings pitched with 69.2 and total batters struck out with 67. 

Bultinck led Madonna to a 6-0 week with all six wins coming in Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference play. The senior second baseman batted .625, going 15-for-24, and drove in eight and scored nine runs. Of his 15 hits, six were for extra bases (four doubles, two home runs). He slugged 1.042 with a .615 on-base percentage and posted a .636 (7-for-11) average with runners on base and a .500 average with runners in scoring position (3-for-6). Bultinck also had a pair of stolen bases. Hailing from Sterling Heights, Mich., Bultinck's five triples in his senior campaign ranks seventh nationally. 

For a complete listing all the national statistical leaders, click here. 

The next Player of the Week announcement will be on April 12. 

Pitcher Nominees: Grant Martin, Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio); Nathan Roth, Doane (Neb.); Eric Zagone, Indiana Tech; Aaron Wilkerson, Cumberland (Tenn.); Brandon Hedrick, Union (Ky.); Danny Gidora, Texas at Brownsville; Drew Firebaugh, Missouri Baptist; Desmond Sullivan, Rio Grande (Ohio); Alex Kreis, Jamestown (N.D.); Freddie Cabrera, Central Methodist (Mo.); Rex Garner, Houston - Victoria (Texas); Nick Stiltner, Corban (Ore.); Matt Klaus, Waldorf (Iowa); Brent McKinnon, Tabor (Kan.); Chris Needham, Oklahoma Wesleyan; Neil Dillon, Alice Lloyd (Ky.); Kris Hall, Lee (Tenn.); Aaron Wilder, Marian (Ind.); Rj Legel, Purdue-North Central (Ind.); Josh Soffer, SUNY-Canton; Cameron McVey, Biola (Calif.). 

Player Nominees: Anthony Lopez, Oklahoma Baptist; Ethan Houts, Taylor (Ind.); Johnny Aldaz, Northwood (Texas); Tommy Winegardner, Cumberland (Tenn.); Andrew Perez, Tabor (Kan.); Cory Perreault, Union (Ky.); Derek Kampschneider, Midland (Neb.); Omar Artsen, Missouri Baptist; Osmani Sanchez, St. Thomas (Fla.); Michael Danielson, Valley City State (N.D.); David Baker, Houston - Victoria (Texas); Sean O'Grady, Benedictine (Kan.); Jeff Bernacil, York (Neb.); Davidson Peguero, Fisher (Mass.); Tyler Thompson, Robert Morris (Ill.); Alex Heumann, Mount Mercy (Iowa); Alex Beelen, Cedarville (Ohio); Craig Roberts, Indiana-Southeast; Phillip Butler, Shawnee State (Ohio); Daniel Cayton, Faulkner (Ala.); Brad Walters, Oregon Tech; Rashad Taylor, Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.). 

2011 Composite Award Winners (Pitcher; Player)
Week 1: Ryan Vigue, Embry-Riddle (Fla.); Kevin Smith, LSU Shreveport (La.)
Week 2: Jesse Darrah, Fresno Pacific (Calif.); Jerrod Moore, Berea (Ky.)
Week 3: Shane Prance, Purdue-North Central (Ind.); Miguel Beltran, Oklahoma City
Week 4: Ryan O'Gara, Webber International (Fla.); Jeff Bultinck, Madonna (Mich.)