CHICAGO (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers
Association (NCBWA) released its National Hitter and Pitcher of the
Week awards for the period ending May 16.
Ohio State junior outfielder Steve Caravati and UNLV junior outfielder
Eric Nielsen have been named National Co-Hitters of the Week, while
North Carolina State's redshirt sophomore RHP Mike Rogers and senior
RHP Vern Sterry 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.
Nielsen, from Las Vegas, Nev., helped the Rebels maintain their conference
lead by taking three-of-four games from Utah last week. He belted five home
runs and knocked in 15 runs, while batting .529 for the series. In game
one vs. the Utes, Nielsen hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth
inning to break open a 3-1 game and help the Rebels to an 8-6 victory. In
a game two win, he was 4-for-6 from the plate with a double, two home runs
and five RBI. After going 2-for-4 in a game three loss, Nielsen closed out
the series with a pair of home runs and six RBI, including a 2-for-4 performance
from the plate, to seal the win.
Steve Caravati batted .722 (13-for-18) in five games last week and batted
.786 (11-for-14) in the 3-1 series win against Northwestern. The junior
from Dover, Ohio had two doubles and batted in six runs during the week
while scoring once himself. Against Northwestern, Caravati had a slugging
percentage of .929 and an on-base percentage of .813. He was perfect in
three at bats in the second game of the series and was perfect in four at
bats in the finale. In game three, he drove in three runs. In all five games
last week, he had at least two hits. Already a two-time Big Ten Player of
the Week, Caravati is now batting .390 overall and .422 in Big Ten play.
He is currently enjoying a seven-game hitting streak.
Michael Rogers and Vern Sterry each pitched a three-hit shutout as North
Carolina State completed a doubleheader sweep of No. 1-ranked Texas, 2-0
and 1-0, Saturday at Disch-Falk Field, marking the first time in the 108-year
history of Texas baseball that the Longhorns were blanked in both ends of
a doubleheader.
Rogers (8-3) pitched the opener and allowed just the three hits, walked
one and struck out 10. Rogers, who was more than good enough to make a 2-0
lead stand up, gave up leadoff hits in three of the first four innings,
stranded all three at third base, and then retired the final 18 men he faced.
He improved his record away from Doak Field to 7-0 with a 0.61 ERA (he is
1-3 and 4.78 at home). The three-hitter marked the eighth time in 14 starts
this season that Rogers has had a three-hitter or better after six innings.
Sterry allowed three hits, walked two and fanned 11. He was in never
in serious trouble. He allowed a two-out walk in the first, a one-out double
to David Maroul in the third, a one-out walk in the fourth, a leadoff single
to Seth Johnson in the fifth, and a one-out single to Carson Kainer in the
seventh. He stranded them all. Texas did not have a runner reach third base.
Sterry retired the last eight men he faced, five of them on strikes, and
13 of the last 14.
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)