Sizzling Mainolfi Awarded with NECBL Player of the Week

The New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) announced the Week 6 Player & Pitcher of the Week honors, including honorable mentions for the week concluding on Sunday, July 13.

North Adams SteepleCats right-hander Nick Hunkele (Merrimack), along with Keene SwampBats second baseman and outfielder Ty Mainolfi (Boston College), have earned the awards for Week 6. Both dominating in their respective positions, both Hunkele and Mainolfi received the most votes this season and blew the competition out of the water.

Hunkele pitched an absolute gem against the North Shore Navigators for the NECBL's first complete game of the season. (Check this, but I have not seen any others). Not only did Hunkele go the full nine innings, he did so in dominating fashion, striking out 12 while only allowing five hits. If that wasn't impressive enough, Hunkele finished the game without giving up a run as the SteepleCats battled for a gritty 1-0 win.

Mainolfi, a 6'1" righty from Staten Island, New York, proved why he was named the North Division's starting DH for the 2025 All-Star Game. In five appearances this week, Mainolfi recorded hits in all five, including a monster 5-5, 3 RBI performance in a 15-10 win over the Vermont Mountaineers. He also knotted a 2-3 game against the Sanford Mainers, including a home run, and a three-hit game against the Upper Valley Nighthawks. 

Both Hunkele and Mainolfi helped North Adams and Keene secure four wins this week, as the battle to secure a playoff berth in the North Division becomes tighter by the day.

Catch Hunkele's SteepleCats in action tonight at 6:30 pm as they take on the Vermont Mountaineers. Mainolfi and the SwampBats get the day off, but host North Adams on Tuesday in a battle of the Week 6 award winners.

Week 6 Honor Roll - Position Players

Gavin Greger (Ocean State-CF/RF, Bryant)

Trey King (Sanford-SS, Georgia)

Jaylen Hernandez (Vermont-1B, Winthrop)

Trevor Hansen (Bristol-UTIL, Manhattan)

Brandon DeGoti (Ocean State-SS, SS)

Week 6 Honor Roll - Pitchers

Mike Poncini (Mystic, Quinnipiac)

Ben Rabatin (Keene, Kent State)

Joseph Hauser (North Shore, Northeastern)

JT Landwehr (Bristol, Portland)

The New England Collegiate Baseball League is a wooden bat college summer league that fields teams in all six New England states. Partially funded by Major League Baseball, the New England League started play in 1994 and has sent over 230 alumni to the Major Leagues with nearly 30 alumni taken in the first round of the MLB Draft. For continuing coverage of the NECBL, visitNECBL.com and follow the league onTwitter,Instagram and onFacebook.