DALLAS (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association released the Pro-Line Athletic National Player of the Week awards for the period ending May 15. St. John's senior first baseman Paul Karmas was named National Hitter of the Week, while Oklahoma State senior left-hander Mike Strong 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.
Karmas hit .550 (11-for-20) with 12 RBIs to lead St. John's to a 4-0 week. The Douglaston, N.Y., native had three doubles and two home runs, including a grand slam, for a 1.000 slugging percentage. The senior had four multi-hit games and three multi-RBI games, including a five-RBI game and a pair of three-RBI performances. Karmas went 3-for-5 with three RBI in a win against NYIT to open the week and then went 2-for-4 with a double, a grand slam and five RBI in a series-opening win against Georgetown. The first baseman was 4-for-6 with two doubles and three RBI on Saturday before closing the weekend by going 2-for-5 with a home run.
Strong had a career night for the Cowboys in the series opener against Baylor on Friday as the senior southpaw racked up 14 strikeouts, setting a career high and tying for the most strikeouts by a Big 12 pitcher this season. The 14 punch outs were also the most by a Big 12 pitcher in conference play this season and were two shy of OSU's single-game record.
In eight innings of work, the Afton, Minn., native allowed just two hits, both of them singles, and did not allow a runner past second base with just a total of two reaching second on the night. He did not issue a walk and allowed just five base runners (two singles, error, fielder's choice and a wild pitch on a strikeout). Strong recorded multiple strikeouts in five of his eight innings and retired the side in order four times. He also recorded five assists, and he faced just three batters over the minimum. Despite not getting a decision, Strong helped the Cowboys pick up a 1-0 win in 10 innings.
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)