DALLAS (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association released the Pro-Line Athletic National Player of the Week awards for the period ending May 22. UTSA senior first baseman Ryan Hutson and Louisville junior second baseman Ryan Wright were named National Co-Hitters of the Week, while Cal State Bakersfield senior right-hander Mike McCarthy 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.
Hutson hit five home runs in four games last week, including three in the Roadrunners' regular season finale against Central Arkansas on Sunday. His final homer was the 48th of his career, which broke the school record. The Round Rock, Texas, native became the fourth player in UTSA history to hit three home runs in a game. Earlier in the week, Hutson swatted two-run shots against both Houston (May 17) and Central Arkansas (May 19). For the week, he batted .438 (7-for-16) with eight RBIs and slugged 1.438.
Wright earned BIG EAST Player of the Week honors after hitting .714 (10-for-14) with two home runs, five RBIs, six runs scored and a 1.214 slugging percentage as the Cardinals went 3-1 last week. In Louisville's series win over Notre Dame, the Ft. Wayne, Ind., native was 9-for-11 (.818) with a double, two home runs, five RBI, five runs scored, and averages of 1.455 (slugging) and .846 (on-base). He finished the series by reaching base in 10 straight plate appearances, the longest streak for the Cardinals since 2002.
For the second consecutive Friday night, McCarthy defeated a top 20 opponent as CSU Bakersfield handed No. 19 Fresno State a 6-0 defeat. The 6-3 righty struck out 12, walked two, and allowed just four hits. (all on 128 pitches). The Brentwood, Calif., native, who set the CSUB school record for most strikeouts in a game with 13 against the Bulldogs Apr. 13, 2010, tossed a two-hitter at No. 13 UCLA May 13. McCarthy's shutout was the first time that Fresno State has been held scoreless in 2011. Fresno State had back-to-back singles to start the eighth, but McCarthy got out of the jam and retired the final six Bulldogs of the game.
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)