NEC Co-Players of the Week: Hunter Ray, FDU & Cord Dobrinski, LIU
NEC Pitcher of the Week: AJ Petraitis, LEM
NEC Rookie of the Week: Nick Fox, CCSU

Previous NEC Releases: April 14 | April 7 | March 31 | March 24 | March 17 | March 10 | March 3 | February 24 | February 17 | Preseason Poll Release

NEC BASEBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Hunter Ray, FDU
So., OF
Woodbine, NJ/Lower Cape May Regional                                                          
Ray did it all at the plate for FDU last week as his performance was highlighted by four homers and 12 RBIs through five games. The sophomore right fielder went 10-for-25 (.400) in the batter’s box, while scoring six of his own runs and smacking a triple. Ray sent two over the fence during a mid-week match up against Fordham. He hit his 16^th homer of the season over the weekend, which helped him break the FDU single-season home run record. He finished the week with a 1.404 OPS off a .960 slugging percentage and .444 OBP. Ray leads the league in slugging percentage (.795), OPS (1.282), RBIs (57), home runs (19) and at bats (156). The Knights currently sit in first place of the conference standings with a 16-5 conference mark. This Ray's second NEC Player of the Week award of the season. 

Cord Dobrinski, LIU
Sr., OF
Bristow, OK/Bristow High School                                                                    
Claiming back-to-back NEC Player of the Week honors, Dobrinski led LIU to a perfect 4-0 weekend and another conference series win. The senior outfielder was instrumental by batting .500, scoring 10 runs and driving in five RBIs. The Bristow, OK native added three doubles, a triple and homer with a double and a triple coming in the Sharks’ weekend series at Coppin State. Dobrinski completed the week with a 1.851 OPS off a 1.167 slugging percentage and a .684 OBP. LIU has improved its NEC record to 15-6, which is second in the standings. The last time a LIU player has won multiple NEC Player of the Week awards in the same seasdon was John Ziznewski in 2014.

NEC BASEBALL PITCHER OF THE WEEK 
AJ Petraitis, Le Moyne
R-Jr., RHP
Kings Park, NY/Kings Park
Petraitis earned the win on the mound during a thrilling 4-3 victory for Le Moyne over FDU on Friday. The redshirt junior tossed 8.1 innings, while allowing just six hits and three earned runs. Petraitis recorded six punchouts and did not walk a single batter. The right-handed hurler completed the game with a 0.720 WHIP. The Kings Park, NY native, now, has four wins on the season. This marks Petraitis’ first career NEC Pitcher of the Week award. The Dolphins improved to 12-9 in league play over the weekend with a series win over the first-place Knights.
 

NEC BASEBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Nick Fox, Central Connecticut
Fr., INF
Killingworth, CT/Xavier HS
Winning his second straight NEC Rookie of the Week accolade, Fox impressed again in Central Connecticut’s conference series sweep of Delaware State. Over four games last week, the freshman infielder hit .538 at the plate along with driving in seven runs and scoring three more. He added a triple and two walks, as well. In Saturday’s 13-2 run over Delaware State, Fox went a perfect 2-for-2 with a triple, two runs scored and three RBIs. The Killingworth, CT native finished the week with a 1.221 OPS off a .692 slugging percentage and .529 OBP. Fox is the first CCSU rookie to take home multiple NEC Rookie of the Week awards in the same season since 2022 where Vincent Spizzoucco completed the same feat.

NEC PRIME PERFORMERS

Gianno Merlonghi, Sr., OF, CCSU
.588 BA, 10-for-17, 2 runs, 7 RBIs, 1 SB, .588 slug%, .588 OBP, 1.176 OPS

Johnathan Gomez, So., SS, FDU
.478 BA, 11-for-23, 7 runs, 8 RBIs, 3 2Bs, 1 HR, 2 BBs, 1 SB, .739 slug%, .556 OBP, 1.295 OPS

Hunter Ray, So., RF, FDU
Tabbed NEC Co-Player of the Week.
.400 BA, 10-for-25, 6 runs, 12 RBIs, 1 3B, 4 HRs, 2 BBs, 3 SBs, .960 slug%, .444 OBP, 1.404 OPS

Travis Stroh, So., CF, FDU
.438 BA, 11-for-23, 7 runs, 8 RBIs, 3 2Bs, 1 HR, 2 BBs, 1 SB, .739 slug%, .556 OBP, 1.295 OPS

Paulie Goodness, Sr., CF, LEM
.643 BA, 9-for-14, 4 runs, 4 RBIs, 1 HR, 1 BB, 3 SBs, .857 slug%, .625 OBP, 1.482 OPS

AJ Petraitis, R-Jr., RHP, LEM
Earned NEC Pitcher of the Week accolades.
8.1 IP, 6 hits, 3 ER, 6 Ks, 1 win, 0.720 WHIP

Cord Dobrinski, Sr., OF, LIU
Named NEC Co-Player of the Week.
.500 BA, 6-for-12, 10 runs, 5 RBIs, 3 2Bs, 1 3B, 1 HR, 4 BBs, 5 SBs, 1.167 slug%, .684 OBP, 1.851 OPS

Joe Durso, Sr., C, LIU
.429 BA, 6-for-14, 4 runs, 9 RBIs, 2 2Bs, 1 HR, 1 BB, .786 slug%, .529 OBP, 1.315 OPS

Shaun Callahan, Sr., OF, NHVN
.500 BA, 8-for-16, 4 runs, 9 RBIs, 3 2Bs, 1 HR, 4 BBs, 3 SBs, .857 slug%, .571 OBP, 1.428 OPS

Cam McGugan, Sr., 1B, NHVN
.600 BA, 9-for-15, 6 runs, 5 RBIs, 3 2Bs, 1 HR, 2 BBs, 1.000 slug%, .647 OBP, 1.647 OPS

Nathan Kearny, Jr., 1B, STO
.588 BA, 10-for-17, 3 runs, 5 RBIs, 1 2B, 2 BBs, .647 slug%, .632 OBP, 1.279 OPS

Joseph Mennella, Jr., INF, WAG
.368 BA, 7-for-19, 2 runs, 8 RBIs, 1 2B, 1 HR, .579 slug%, .368 OBP, .947 OPS

2026 NEC BASEBALL WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS:

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Feb. 17: Ryan Rivera, LIU
Feb. 24: Justin Journette, NSU
Mar. 3: Joseph Mennella, WAG
Mar. 10: Jack Cannon, LEM
Mar. 17: Johnathan Gomez, FDU
Mar. 24: Jeremy Cheeseman, FDU
Mar. 31: Jake Russo, NHVN
Apr. 7: Hunter Ray, FDU
Apr. 14: Cord Dobrinski, LIU & Jonathan Gonzalez Perez, UMES
Apr. 21: Hunter Ray, FDU & Cord Dobrinski, LIU
Apr. 28: 

PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Feb. 17: Ethan Blakeney, NSU
Feb. 24: Chris Messina, FDU
Mar. 3: Richard De Jesus, UMES
Mar. 10: Jake Cumming, CSU
Mar. 17: Ryan Douglas, STO
Mar. 24: Colin Trizuto, WAG
Mar. 31: Parker Hampton, NSU
Apr. 7: Dan Lang, STO
Apr. 14: Nicholas Finarelli, LIU
Apr. 21: AJ Petraitis, LEM
Apr. 28: 

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Feb. 17: Kacin Robinson, STO
Feb. 24: Mason Mompoint, NSU
Mar. 3: Richard De Jesus, UMES
Mar. 10: Isaac Brozon, LEM
Mar. 17: Jaylin Manson, NHVN
Mar. 24: Kacin Robinson, STO
Mar. 31: Drew Cisney, FDU
Apr. 7: Brendan McLoughlin, WAG
Apr. 14: Nick Fox, CCSU
Apr. 21: Nick Fox, CCSU
Apr. 28: