DALLAS (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association has tabbed Oregon State catcher Adley Rutschman its National Player of the Month and West Virginia right-hander Alek Manoah its National Pitcher of the Month for April, it was announced on Monday afternoon.
A native of Sherwood, Ore., Rutschman hit .455 (30-for-66) with five doubles, seven homers and 23 RBI. Rutschman scored 22 runs, drew 19 walks and struck out just 10 times, and sported a 1.411 OPS during the month.
A switch-hitting junior, Rutschman has hit .429 (66-for-154) with eight doubles, one triple, 16 homers and 53 RBI. He has drawn 59 walks and struck out 32 times.
Manoah, a native of Miami, went 3-0 with a 0.27 ERA over four starts during April. He worked 33 innings, allowing 17 hits and just one earned run, walking two and striking out 49. He worked two complete-game shutouts during the month and became the first Big 12 pitcher to fan 15 or more hitters in consecutive starts. He earned NCBWA Pitcher of the Week twice during April.
Manoah has posted a 6-3 record with a 2.07 ERA in 12 starts, working 82.2 innings, allowing just 56 hits and 21 walks, striking out 108.
This marks the fourth consecutive year that the NCBWA has honored a 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, 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.
2019 NCBWA Division I Players of the Week:
Week ending Feb. 17: Austin Martin, Vanderbilt (Hitter); Grant Judkins, Iowa (Pitcher)
· Week ending Feb. 24: Thomas Dillard, Ole Miss (Hitter); Tommy Henry, Michigan (Pitcher)
· Week ending March 3: Harrison Freed, Butler and TJ Hopkins, South Carolina (Hitter); Tanner Burns, Auburn (Pitcher)
· Week ending March 10: Cameron Warren, Texas Tech (Hitter); Jake Kuchmaner, East Carolina and Chris Gerard, Virginia Tech (Pitcher)
· Week ending March 17: Chris Lanzilli, Wake Forest (Hitter); Jake Kuchmaner, East Carolina (Pitcher)
· Week ending March 24: Tristan Peterson, New Mexico State (Hitter); Connor Thomas, Georgia Tech (Pitcher)
· Week ending March 31: Jake Sanford, WKU (Hitter); Zach Thompson, Kentucky (Pitcher)
· Week ending April 7: Kody Hoese, Tulane (Hitter); Alek Manoah, West Virginia (Pitcher)
· Week ending April 14: Spencer Steer, Oregon (Hitter); Cody Luther, Saint Louis and Ryan Shreve, Pacific (Pitcher)
· Week ending April 21: Logan Wyatt, Louisville (Hitter); Alek Manoah, West Virginia (Pitcher)
· Week ending April 28: Keaton Smith, Nevada (Hitter); Ryan Garcia, UCLA (Pitcher)
· Week ending May 5: Chase Smartt, Troy (Hitter); Andy Fisher, Illinois (Pitcher)
· Week ending May 12: Bryce Ball, Dallas Baptist (Hitter); Micah Kaczor, East Tennessee State (Pitcher)
· Week ending May 19: Andrew Daschbach, Stanford (Hitter); Seth Lonsway, Ohio State (Pitcher)
2019 NCBWA Division I Players of the Month:
February: Nick Gonzales, New Mexico State (Player); John Doxakis, Texas A&M (Pitcher)
· March: Hunter Bishop, Arizona State (Player); Reid Detmers, Louisville (Pitcher)
· April: Adley Rutschman, Oregon State (Player); Alek Manoah, West Virginia (Pitcher)