DALLAS (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association released its National Player of the Week awards for the period ending May 18. Morehead State junior first baseman Kane Sweeney was named National Hitter of the Week, while Oregon State senior left-handed pitcher Ben Wetzler 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.
In four games last week, Sweeney hit .421 (8-for-19) with eight runs scored, two doubles, a triple, two home runs, 12 RBI, a .947 slugging percentage and a .560 on-base percentage. The Millstadt, Ill., native opened the week by crushing his third grand slam of the season and driving in five runs in an extra inning loss at Tennessee.
In MSUs weekend series against Jacksonville State, the junior hit .500 and drove in seven runs in helping the Eagles secure a spot in the OVC Tournament field. He was 2-for-3 with three runs scored, a two-run home run and four RBIs and followed that by going 4-for-7 with three runs scored, a double, triple and two RBI in game two of the series. Sweeney drew six walks during the week and posted a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.
Wetzler, a senior from Clackamas, Ore., turned in a stellar performance from the mound on Sunday, throwing a complete game shutout to propel Oregon State to a series-clinching 3-0 win over No. 5 Washington. The lefty held the conference's leading offense to two hits and just four total base runners in nine innings of work. In his first shutout of the season and third in his career, Wetzler recorded his second-highest strikeout total in 2014 with nine. It also marked his second complete game of the season and fifth of his career.
In picking up the win, the senior increased his school-record for wins to 34 and set the OSU record for most inning pitched in a career with 351.1. With the shutout, Wetzler moved his season ERA to 0.84, which currently leads the country, and lowered his career mark to 2.61. The performance was huge for the Beavers, who hold a two-game lead in the Conference with three league games left to play.
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 NCBWA Division I National Players of the Week, contact NCBWA Assistant Executive Director Mike Montoro at West Virginia University at 304-293-2821.
2014 NCBWA Division I Players of the Week:
Feb. 16: Skyler Ewing, Rice (Hitter); Jeremy Null, East Carolina (Pitcher)
· Feb. 23: A.J. Reed, Kentucky (Hitter); Reed Garrett, VMI (Pitcher)
· March 2: Ryan Seiz, Liberty (Hitter); Jake Stinnett, Maryland (Pitcher)
· March 9: Mac James, Oklahoma (Hitter); Javi Salas, Miami (Pitcher)
· March 16: Nic Wilson, Georgia State (Hitter); Heath Dwyer, VCU (Pitcher)
· March 23: Michael Katz, William & Mary (Hitter); Frankie Vanderka, Stony Brook (Pitcher)
· March 30: Clint Freeman, East Tennessee State (Hitter); Matt Imhof, Cal Poly (Pitcher)
· April 6: A.J. Reed, Kentucky (Hitter); Nathan Kirby, Virginia (Pitcher)
· April 13: Mitchell Tolman, Oregon (Hitter); Jordan Carter, St. Joseph's (Pitcher)
· April 20: Byron Campbell, UMES (Hitter); Jeff Hoffman, East Carolina (Pitcher)
· April 27: Auston Bausfield, Ole Miss (Hitter); Thomas Eshelman, Cal State Fullerton (Pitcher)
· May 4: Casey Turgeon, Florida (Hitter); Jace Fry, Oregon State (Pitcher)
· May 11: Connor McVey, Cincinnati (Hitter); Matt Fraudin, Gardner-Webb (Pitcher)
· May 18: Kane Sweeney, Morehead State (Hitter); Ben Wetzler, Oregon State (Pitcher)