DALLAS (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) released the Pro-Line Athletic National Player of the Week awards for the period ending March 13. George Mason freshman first baseman Justin Bour was named National Hitter of the Week, while Vanderbilt junior left-handed pitcher David Price 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.
Bour went 10-for-20 (.500) with seven home runs, 19 RBIs, scored nine runs and posted a 1.650 slugging percentage over four games. The Centreville, Va., native hit three grand slams during the week, including setting a school record with two grand slams and nine RBIs in a game against Coppin State. He also set the school record with three grand slams in a season, and the school record for most consecutive multi-homer games with three. He tied a school record with three home runs in one game against Coppin State.
Price struck out 16 in a four-hit complete game effort in a 2-1 win over Illinois-Chicago last Friday. The Murfreesboro, Tenn., native gave up a solo homer in the second, then retired the next 12 batters, seven via strikeout. After giving up his only walk in the sixth, Price then retired the next seven in order, five by strikeout. Two of the four hits were infield singles in the ninth.
With this week's honor, Price automatically is named to the watch list for Roger Clemens Award, given to the national collegiate pitcher of the year, sponsored by the Greater Houston Baseball Organization.
Fort Worth-based Pro-Line Athletic supplies the official cap to more than 100 Division I college teams and official uniforms and team wear to six Division 1 college teams. This is the third 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, visit their Web site at prolineathletic.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 Mike Montoro at the University of Southern Mississippi at 601-266-5947.
2007 Pro-Line Athletic Players of the Week:
Feb. 13: Pedro Alvarez, Vanderbilt (Hitter);
Spencer Steedley, Charlotte (Pitcher)
· Feb. 20: Jericho Jones, Louisiana Tech
(Hitter); James Simmons, UC Riverside (Pitcher)
· Feb. 27: Mike Bianucci, Auburn (Hitter);
Brian Matusz, San Diego (Pitcher)
· March 6: David Doss, South Alabama (Hitter);
Sean Urena, Cal State Fullerton (Pitcher)
· March 13: Justin Bour, George Mason (Hitter);
David Price, Vanderbilt (Pitcher)
· March 20: Corey Brown, Oklahoma State
(Hitter); Lance Lynn, Ole Miss (Pitcher)
· March 27: Matt LaPorta, Florida (Hitter);
Eric Rohr, Saint Louis (Pitcher)
· April 3: Tony Thomas Jr., Florida State
(Hitter); Trey Barham, VMI (Pitcher)
· April 10: Travis Jones, South Carolina
(Hitter); Ryan Berry, Rice and Rick Zagone, Missouri (Pitcher)
· April 17: Kellen Kulbacki, James Madison
(Hitter); Brad Brach, Monmouth (Pitcher)
· April 24: Ryan Heath, Oakland (Hitter);
Scott Barnes, St. John's (Pitcher)
· May 1: Matt Horwath, UCF (Hitter); James
Adkins, Tennessee (Pitcher)
· May 8: Blake Stouffer, Texas A&M (Hitter);
Matt Daly, Hawai'i (Pitcher)
· May 15: Matt Spencer, Arizona State (Hitter);
Matt Gianini, Central Connecticut (Pitcher)
· May 22: Jason Stidham, Florida State (Hitter);
Ryan Belanger, Southern Miss (Pitcher)
Related link:
Pro-Line Athletic Player of the Week plaques