DALLAS (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association released the Pro-Line Athletic National Player of the Week awards for the period ending March 21. Samford junior first baseman Saxon Butler was named National Hitter of the Week, while Stony Brook freshman right-hander Frankie Vanderka 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.
Butler batted .429 (9-for-21) with two doubles, two grand slams and 10 RBI in helping lead Samford to a 4-1 record in five games last week. The Oxford, Ala., native was a combined 6-for-13 with a double, two grand slams and eight RBI in the Bulldogs' SoCon series win over Georgia Southern. He also went 3-for-8 with a double and two RBI in a pair of midweek wins over UAB. Friday's grand slam proved to be the game-winner as it came in the bottom of the eighth inning with Samford trailing GSU, 4-1. The Bulldogs ran their winning streak to seven games before falling to the Eagles in Sunday's series finale.
Vanderka has quickly made his presence felt on an already talented pitching staff, throwing the first no-hitter in Stony Brook history Friday evening against NJIT. The Levittown, N.Y., native threw a complete nine-inning effort, striking out 13 and walking just two. His 13 strikeouts are the most recorded by an America East pitcher since teammate Nick Tropeano also struck out 13 on March 20, 2010. Vanderka was tagged for just one unearned run in the Seawolves' 14-1 triumph. The rookie has an ERA of 0.52 and opposing batting average of .125 in four appearances this season.
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)