DALLAS (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association released the Pro-Line Athletic National Player of the Week awards for the period ending April 10. Clemson junior shortstop Brad Miller and Liberty senior outfielder Doug Bream were named National Co-Hitters of the Week, while Northern Illinois senior right-hander Jeremy Gonzales was named National Pitcher of the Week. The NCBWA Board reviews candidates from each Division I Conference each week and names winners each Tuesday throughout the season.
Miller had a remarkable week at the plate, going 14-for-21 (.667) with two doubles, two triples, seven RBI, eight runs, a .952 slugging percentage and 696 on-base percentage. The Windermere, Fla., native added two walks and four stolen bases as the Tigers won four of five games. He had at least two hits in all five games as well. In the three-game ACC series against Maryland, Miller was 10-for-13 (.769) with two doubles, two triples, six RBI, five runs, and two steals. He also had at least three hits and two RBIs in each of the three games against the Terrapins.
Bream batted .737 (14-for-19) with six runs scored, eight RBI, two doubles, one triple and two walks in four games last week. The Elizabethtown, Pa., native had four-or-more hits in three of the games, including a 5-for-5 day in a midweek contest with James Madison. After picking up a hit and an RBI on Friday at High Point, Bream had four hits in each of Libertys weekend wins over the Panthers. For the week, he had a .762 on-base percentage and a .947 slugging percentage.
Gonzales was dominant in a 2-0 win over Miami (Ohio). The Bakersfield, Calif., native put together his first career complete game shutout and third career complete game, as he allowed just three hits and struck out seven, tying his season high. He put together a perfect game through 5.2 innings, retired the side in order in all but the sixth, eighth and ninth innings, and allowed only one base runner to reach second base. His no-walk performance is the first for NIU since 2007 and he only went to a full count four times in the 30 batters he faced and 109 pitches thrown, 73 for strikes. In the win, he extended his scoreless innings streak to 25.2.
Pro-Line Athletic, owned by Badger Sport, supplies the cap and uniforms to several Division I college teams. This is the seventh season Pro-Line has sponsored the NCBWA's Players of the Week. The sponsorship provides for plaques to be awarded to each of the weekly winners and other promotional consideration. For more information about Pro-Line or Badger Sports, visit their Web sites at prolineathletic.com and badgersport.com.
Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters and publicists of the sport. For more information about the NCBWA, visit the association's official Web site, www.ncbwa.com.
For more information on the Pro-Line Athletic Players of the Week, contact NCBWA Assistant Executive Director Mike Montoro at West Virginia University at 304-293-2821.
2011 Pro-Line Athletic Players of the Week:
Feb. 22: David Herbek, James Madison (Hitter);
Taylor Jungmann, Texas (Pitcher)
· March 1: Corben Green, ULM (Hitter); Danny Hultzen,
Virginia (Pitcher)
· March 8: Anthony Trajano, Cal State Fullerton
(Hitter); Kyle Fitzpatrick, FIU (Pitcher)
· March 15: Dusty Quattlebaum, Gardner-Webb (Hitter);
Logan Verrett, Baylor (Pitcher)
· March 22: Saxon Butler, Samford (Hitter); Frankie
Vanderka, Stony Brook (Pitcher)
· March 29: Colin Moran, North Carolina (Hitter);
Trevor Bauer, UCLA (Pitcher)
· April 5: Victor Roache, Georgia Southern (Hitter);
Will Roberts, Virginia (Pitcher)
· April 12: Brad Miller, Clemson and Doug Bream,
Liberty (Hitter); Jeremy Gonzales, Northern Illinois (Pitcher)
· April 19: Tyler Ogle, Oklahoma (Hitter); John
Simms, Rice (Pitcher)
· April 26: D.J. Hicks, UCF and Trenton Moses, Southeast
Missouri State (Hitter); Trevor Bauer, UCLA (Pitcher)
· May 3: James Brooks, Utah and Clint Moore, Army
(Hitter); Josh Osich, Oregon State (Pitcher)
· May 10: Jeff Holm, Michigan State (Hitter); Alex
Meyer, Kentucky and Carson Smith, Texas State (Pitcher)
· May 17: Paul Karmas, St. John's (Hitter); Mike
Strong, Oklahoma State (Pitcher)
· May 24: Ryan Huston, UTSA and Ryan Wright, Louisville
(Hitter); Mike McCarthy, Cal State Bakersfield (Pitcher)