Over the past week, O’Connell has increased his batting average by more than 100 points and has more than doubled his RBI total as UW-Stout went 3-1 on the week. Over the four games, O’Connell hit at an .813 clip (13-16), scored seven runs, had five doubles, one home run and recorded 12 RBI. (UW-Stout scored 48 total runs during the four games). He had a slugging percentage of 1.313 and successfully reached base in 84.2 percent of his at-bats. Coming into a 12-8, 14-13, sweep of Viterbo University (Wis.), April 13, O’Connell was batting .302, and after UW-Stout’s split with UW-Whitewater, April 17, O’Connell raised his batting average to .405. Against Viterbo, O’Connell went 5-for-6 with a double, home run, five runs scored and four RBI. He produced the game-winning, walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh in the 14-13 win. In the opener, the Blue Devils came back from a 10-0 deficit and O’Connell’s two-run home run in a nine-run fifth inning gave UW-Stout its final runs. O’Connell scored twice in that inning, reaching the first time after getting hit by a pitch, then following that up with a home run. O’Connell stayed hot against No. 14-ranked UW-Whitewater, going 8-for-10 on the day with four doubles and eight RBI as UW-Stout won the first game, 14-8 and dropped the second, 13-8. O’Connell had three doubles in the second game, going 4-for-5 with six RBI.
Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Jay Fanta, Junior, Firstbase, Viroqua, Wis.
UW-Oshkosh, Tyler Kamps, Sophomore, Secondbase, Appleton, Wis. (East)
UW-Platteville, Aaron Hopson, Senior, Infield, Rockford, Ill. (Boylan Catholic)
UW-Stevens Point, Sean Gerber, Sophomore, Stoughton, Wis.
UW-Superior, Rhett Williamson, Junior, Shortstop, Baxter, Minn. (Brainerd)