DALLAS (NCBWA) Mississippi State's Brent Rooker has been named Player of the Month and Oregon's David Peterson as Pitcher of the Month for March, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association has announced.
A native of Germantown, Tenn., Rooker had a prolific month in March, collecting 23 extra-base hits in 21 games. Rooker hit .438 (35-for-80) with 13 doubles, three triples, seven homers and 28 RBI, sporting a .938 slugging and a .500 on-base percentage, adding six steals during the month. Rooker did not cool off as the calendar turned to April, belting a two-run walk-off home run in extra-innings in Mississippi State's comeback win on Wednesday over FIU.
In 2017, Rooker has hit .436 (51-for-117) in 31 games with 18 doubles, three triples, 12 homers and 50 RBI, swiping 14 bases.
Peterson, a native of Denver, Colo., went 5-0 in five starts in March, owning a 0.50 ERA after allowing just two earned runs in 36.1 innings. A 6-foot-6 southpaw, Peterson allowed only 28 hits in the month and two walks, fanning 57 and holding opponents to a .207 average. As a junior, Peterson has gone 6-1 with a 2.14 ERA in seven games and five starts, walking just four and striking out 66 in 46.1 innings.
This marks the second season the NCBWA has honored a national player and pitcher of the month.
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 Month, contact NCBWA Assistant Executive Director Mike Montoro at West Virginia University at 304-293-2821.
2017 NCBWA Division I Players of the Week:
Feb. 21: Andrew Kendrick, Youngstown State (Hitter);
Jared Poché, LSU and Robbie Welhaf, Elon (Pitcher)
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Feb. 28: Brent Rooker, Mississippi State (Hitter);
Justin Dillon, Sacramento State (Pitcher)
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March 7: Chase Lunceford, Louisiana Tech (Hitter);
Danny Hrbek, Radford and Parker Rigler, Kansas State (Pitcher)
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March 14: Connor Smith, Western Michigan (Hitter);
Eli Morgan, Gonzaga (Pitcher)
· March 21:
Jake Scheiner, Houston (Hitter); John Gavin, Cal State Fullerton (Pitcher)
· March 28: Matt Lloyd, Indiana (Hitter); Cory Abbott,
Loyola Marymount (Pitcher)
· April 4: Keaton
Kringlen, BYU (Hitter); Alex Cunningham, Coastal Carolina (Pitcher)
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April 11: Brent Rooker, Mississippi State (Hitter);
Michael Grove, West Virginia (Pitcher)
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April 18: Stuart Fairchild, Wake Forest (Hitter); Kyle Wright, Vanderbilt (Pitcher)
· April 25: Dylan Busby, Florida State (Hitter);
Alex Faedo, Florida (Pitcher)
· May 2: Hunter
Hargrove, Texas Tech (Hitter); David Peterson, Oregon (Pitcher)
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May 9: Dan Kerwin, UT Martin (Hitter); Trevor Stephan,
Arkansas (Pitcher)
· May 16: Jared Barnes,
South Alabama (Hitter); Zach Prendergast, Seton Hall (Pitcher)
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May 23: Kevin Milam, St. Mary's (Hitter); Cole Bartlett,
Missouri (Pitcher)
2017 NCBWA Division I Players of the Month:
February: Brendon McKay, Lousiville (Hitter); James
Poché, LSU (Pitcher)
· March: Brent
Rooker, Mississippi State (Hitter); David Peterson, Oregon (Pitcher)
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April: Drew Ellis, Louisville (Hitter); Jake Thompson,
Oregon State (Pitcher)
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May: Chris Carrier, Memphis (Hitter); Trey Cumbie,
Houston (Pitcher)