CHICAGO (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers
Association (NCBWA) released its National Hitter and Pitcher of the
Week awards for the period ending April 25.
Miami's junior outfielder Richard Giannotti and Santa Clara's
junior outfielder Nic Crosta has been named National Co-Hitters of
the Week, while Rhode Island's sophomore left-handed pitcher Zack Zuercher
and South Carolina's junior left-handed pitcher Matt Campbell were
named National Co-Pitchers of the Week. The NCBWA Board reviews candidates
from each Division I Conference each week and names winners each Tuesday
throughout the season.
Giannotti was instrumental in helping fourth-ranked Miami take two of
three games from 15th-ranked Virginia. The junior switch-hitter from Plantation,
Fla., battered the Cavaliers' pitching staff for a .625 average in three
games in Coral Gables. Giannotti was 5-for-8 with a double, triple, home
run and six RBI. He also drew five walks and was hit by a pitch for a .786
on-base percentage in the series. Giannotti posted a 1.375 slugging percentage
against Virginia.
Crosta, a Seattle, Wash., native, batted .615 with four homers (two in
consecutive games), 10 RBI, six runs in three games this weekend against
Saint Mary's (SCU won two of three). He went 8-for-13 at the plate, including
7-for-9 in the final two games.
Zuercher tossed a nine-inning no-hitter on Apr. 25 as Rhode Island defeated
St. Bonaventure, 8-0. The Warwick, R.I., native fanned 11 in reaching double-digit
strikeouts for the third time in as many starts and fifth time this season.
He improved to 5-3 on the year with a 2.26 ERA. He has struck out 89 batters
in 63 innings pitched. Opponents are hitting .156 against him.
Campbell hurled a career-high 10 innings and pitched his first career
shutout in 1-0 win vs. Alabama to clinch the series for the Gamecocks. The
complete game for Campbell was his second of the year and the longest outing
by a USC pitcher this season.. The Gray Court, S.C., did not allow one Crimson
Tide player to reach third base and pitched the last 4 1/3 innings without
allowing a hit. He retired 10 consecutive batters in the row from the second-fifth
inning and went the last 4 2/3 innings without allowing a hit and with only
one batter reaching on an error (13 of last 14 retired). He finished the
week with 14 strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings pitched. The first USC pitcher
since Chris Hernandez last season vs. East Carolina to hurl a complete-game
shutout. Campbell's 10 innings pitched vs. Alabama was the longest outing
by a pitcher in the SEC this season.
Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college
baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters and publicists of
the sport. Members receive a membership card, directory, newsletter updates
and official votes in the Howser Award Player of the Year, Regional Player
of the Year and NCBWA All-America voting. The NCBWA also sponsors preseason
All-American awards, publication and writing contests.
2004 NCBWA Division I Players of the Week:
• Feb. 10: Josh Brady, Texas Tech (Hitter); Jered
Weaver, Long Beach State (Pitcher)
• Feb. 17: Seth Johnston, Texas (Hitter); David Purcey, Oklahoma (Pitcher)
• Feb. 24: Brian Bixley, Eastern Michigan (Hitter); Adam Gold,
California and Jason Urquidez, Arizona State (Pitcher)
• March 2: Sean Gaston, Notre Dame and Jed Lowrie, Stanford (Hitter);
Derek Duclos, Richmond and Derek Hankins, Memphis (Pitcher)
• March 9: Ryan Frith, Southern Miss and Stephen Head, Ole Miss (Hitter);
Clay Dirks, LSU and Jim Ripley, Kansas State (Pitcher)
• March 16: Connor Robertson, Birmingham-Southern (Hitter); Cliff Russum,
Southern Miss (Pitcher)
• March 23: Jonathan Batts, UNC Wilmington and Rielly Embrey, San Diego
State (Hitter); Jarame Beaupre, Delaware and Matt Daley, Bucknell (Pitcher)
• March 30: Warner Jones, Vanderbilt (Hitter); Steve Grasley, Creighton
and Jered Weaver, Long Beach State (Pitcher)
• April 6: Grant Richardson, Washington State (Hitter); Dennis Bigley,
Oral Roberts (Pitcher)
• April 13: Brad Corley, Mississippi State (Hitter); Brian Bogusevic,
Tulane (Pitcher)
• April 20: Todd Kimling, Eastern Michigan and Daniel Stovall, New Mexico
(Hitter); Tim Layden, Duke and J.P. Howell, Texas (Pitcher)
• April 27: Nic Crosta, Santa Clara and Richard Gianotto, Miami (Hitter);
Matt Campbell, South Carolina and Zack Zuercher, Rhode Island (Pitcher)
• May 4: Brian Hall, Stanford and Kurt Suzuki, Cal State
Fullerton (Hitter); Zac Cline, West Virginia and Arik Hempy, South Carolina (Pitcher)
• May 11: Justin Holmes, Georgia and Lee McLean, UNC Wilmington
(Hitter); Tim Lincecum, Washington and Jered Weaver, Long Beach State (Pitcher)
• May 18: Steve Cavarati, Ohio State and Eric Nielsen, UNLV (Hitter);
Mike Rogers and Vern Sterry, N.C. State (Pitcher)
• May 25: Josh Ford, Baylor and Andy Hudak, Bowling Green (Hitter);
Greg Bunn, East Carolina and Jason Windsor, Cal State Fullerton (Pitcher)