Baseball | 4/20/2015 10:26:00 AM

Omaha, Neb.----Wingate University senior outfielder Thomas Spitz (West Chester, Pa.) has been named one of 30 semi-finalists for the 2015 Tino Martinez Award. The award is presented to the most outstanding player in NCAA Division II baseball. The annual honor is named after the former University of Tampa Spartan, Olympian and MLB All-Star Tino Martinez.

Spitz is having the best season of his career. The senior is hitting .373 with 13 homers and 58 RBI, adding 14 doubles and four triples while stealing 15 bases in 16 attempts and scoring 65 runs. Spitz has compiled a .464 on-base percentage and .703 slugging percentage. He ranks second in the SAC in runs scored, third in homers, RBI, slugging percentage and total bases, fifth in hits, sixth in triples and stolen bases, seventh in on-base percentage, 11th in doubles and 12th in batting average.

Spitz sparks a Wingate offense that leads the nation with 70 homers this year, while ranking 12th nationally in runs scored. Spitz ranks sixth nationally in runs scored, 14th in RBI and total bases, 27th in triples and 28th in homers. The senior went over 200 career starts on Saturday. He ranks second in SAC history with 21 triples, while ranking seventh with 212 runs scored and 10th with 269 hits.

Spitz started his season by connecting on two homers in the season-opening win against St. Andrews, driving in five runs while scoring four times. He had three hits including a homer in game one at Lincoln Memorial, while scoring three runs in the series finale at LMU. Spitz had a triple, homer and four RBI to open the Coker series, while closing the series with two doubles, two RBI and three runs scored. He had a triple, homer and four RBI in the finale of the Lenoir-Rhyne series, while collecting a homer and three RBI at Francis Marion. Spitz had a homer and six RBI in Wingate's comeback win against Concord, while adding a homer, three RBI and two runs scored the next day at defending regional champion Lander. Spitz had back-to-back three-hit games against UNC Pembroke and Catawba, scoring five times. He went four-for-four with two homers, a double and seven RBI to wrap up the Carson-Newman series.
The winner of the 2015 Tino Martinez Award will be named Monday, June 1, following the Division II Championships which will be held in Cary, N.C. The finalists will be revealed prior to the beginning of the Division II World Series.

2015 Tino Martinez Award Semifinalists
Nathan Ackerman, Wayne St (Neb.)
Will Albertson, Catawba
Austin Allen, Florida Tech
Albert Baur, Newberry
Andrew Brodbeck, Flagler
Brendan Collins, Columbus St
Collins Cuthrell, UNC Pembroke
Justin Garcia, Nova Southeastern
Jordan Godman, CSU-Pueblo
Justin Harris, Emporia St
Chris Hoffman, Missouri Southern
Jhalan Jackson, Florida Southern
Stephen James, Ashland
Nolan Johnson, Minnesota St
Hayden Jones, Valdosta St
Dean Long, Emporia St
Jason Morozowski, Mt Olive
Hunter Newman, Trevecca Nazarene
Brandon Overstreet, Erskine
Tanner Rainey, West Alabama
Nick Sell, Seton Hill
Troy Sieber, St. Leo
Colton Simbeck, Alabama-Huntsville
Thomas Spitz, Wingate
Allen Staton, North Greenville
Dylan Tice, West Chester
Ryan Uhl, Indiana (PA)
Austin Wallingford, Colorado Mesa
Matt Wilson, Shepherd
Kamran Young, Cal St Dominguez Hills

Previous Tino Martinez Award Winners
2014 - Austin Kaiser, Colorado Mesa Mavs
2013 – Harmen Sidhu, Sonoma State Seawolves
2012 - Nathan Minnich, Shepherd Rams 
2011 - Chase Larsson, Cameron Aggies
2010 - Bryan Fogle, Erskine Flying Fleet