Nikko Echevarria (Photo courtesy Nova Southeastern athletics, NSUsharks.com)

Three players with ties to teams in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League have earned weekly awards from their respective conferences based on their play in games for the week of April 11 through April 17.

SSC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Nikko Echevarria (Albany '11), Nova Southeastern

MAAC CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Chad Salem (Amsterdam '09), Manhattan

LIBERTY LEAGUE CO-PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Trevor Brucato (GF '10), Skidmore

Nova Southeastern junior Nikko Echevarria (Albany '11) was selected as the Player of the Week in the Sunshine State Conference. Echevarria helped the Sharks to a 3-1 week which included a conference series sweep of Saint Leo. The junior batted .533 (8-for-15) with two home runs, 12 RBI and five runs scored over four games. He had at least one in every game and tallied two multi-hit and two multi-RBI efforts. Nikko's best performance came in a 20-4 romp of Saint Leo on April 17.The left fielder slugged a pair of home runs and drove in nine runs for the game. He clobbered a grand slam in the eighth inning and then drilled a three-run home run in the ninth.

Nikko Echevarria has signed a 2011 PGCBL contract with the Albany Dutchmen. The Abqaib, Saudia Arabian, native was a second team All-Sunshine State Conference performer in 2010. He batted .350, knocked in 25 runs and topped the team with 13 stolen bases. So far in 2011, Nikko is batting .280 with two home runs, 17 RBI and eight stolen bases for the 27-13 Sharks.

Manhattan College senior Chad Salem (Amsterdam '09) was chosen as one of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference's Players of the Week. He shared the award with Siena's Dan Paolini. Salem powered the Jaspers to a three-game sweep of conference rival Marist. In the three-game league series, Salem batted .636 (7-for-11) with two home runs, seven RBI, four runs scored and three doubles. He collected two multi-hit and two multi-RBI games in addition to having one hit, one run scored and one RBI in all three of the contests. The Rye, N.Y., native socked a three-run double in the series' opener as part of a 5-1 Manhattan triumph. The Manhattan senior then erupted in the finale with a 4-for-4 performance that included a pair of home runs and two doubles. Salem belted a two-run blast in the first and followed up with a solo clout in the fourth in a 3-1 Jasper victory.

Chad Salem played for the Amsterdam Mohawks during the summer of 2009. He was part of a Mohawks team that won the New YorkCollegiate Baseball League championship. Salem slammed two home runs and drove in 12 for the Mohawks over 21 games playedto go along with 14 overall hits.

Skidmore College senior Trevor Brucato (Glens Falls '10) was honored by the Liberty League as one of two co-Pitchers of the Week. Brucato shared the award with St. Lawrence's Andrew Weitzel. Brucato whirled a complete game, four-hit shutout in a 1-0 victory for Skidmore over league rival Union. The senior walked three and struck out three in the seven-inning contest. He needed only 85 pitches in the win and he limited the opposition to an 0-for-12 output with runners on base. The Stamford, Conn., native also tossed two frames opposite Southern Vermont College earlier in the week. He yielded one unearned run on one hit and struck out one in relief.

Trevor Brucato pitched last summer for the Glens Falls Golden Eagles. The Skidmore product went 2-1 with one save and a 3.76 earned run average over eight appearances. Both of Brucato's wins came in the final week of the season over playoff-bound Oneonta and eventual league champion Amsterdam.