DALLAS (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) released its National Player of the Week awards for the period ending March 28. Clemson freshman first baseman Caden Grice was named National Hitter of the Week, while Ball State junior right-handed pitcher Chayce McDermott 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.
Grice led the Tigers to a 4-0 record last week all wins away from home · that included a three-game ACC road sweep at Boston College. The Greer, South Carolina, native was 9-for-18 (.500) with three doubles, one triple, one homer, 13 RBIs, five runs, a .944 slugging percentage and .571 on-base percentage in the four wins.
Following a three-run homer in Tuesdays win over Georgia Southern, Grice went 8-for-14 (.571) with three doubles, a triple, 10 RBIs and four runs in the Boston College series. In the first game, he went 4-for-6 with seven RBIs. In the second game, he totaled three RBIs. In the series finale, he went 3-for-5. For the season, Grice is hitting .343 with six homers, one triple, four doubles, 25 RBIs, 18 runs, a .701 slugging percentage and .451 on-base percentage in 20 games.
McDermott struck out 13 and did not walk a single batter in a seven-inning, complete-game victory over Toledo. The Anderson, Indiana, native struck out nine consecutive Rockets at one point, marking the second time this season he has recorded nine straight outs via strikeout. He allowed only a first-inning solo home run and then shut Toledo out the rest of the way in Ball State's 7-1 win. McDermott scattered three hits, and those were the only base runners he allowed in the game. Over two MAC starts, he owns 24 strikeouts in 12.0 innings.
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 Week, contact NCBWA Assistant Executive Director Mike Montoro at West Virginia University at 304-293-2821.
2021 NCBWA Division I Players of the Week:
Week ending Feb. 22: Blayne Jones, Dallas Baptist (Hitter); Jordan Wicks, Kansas State (Pitcher)
· Week ending Feb. 28: Dominic Keegan, Vanderbilt (Hitter); Will Dion, McNeese State (Pitcher)
· Week ending March 7: Kenyon Yovan, Oregon (Hitter); Ty Madden, Texas (Pitcher)
· Week ending March 14: Cade Doughty, LSU (Hitter); Jarrett Whorff, Louisiana Tech (Pitcher)
· Week ending March 21: Robby Martin, Florida State (Hitter); Jack Leiter, Vanderbilt (Pitcher)
· Week ending March 28: Caden Grice, Clemson (Hitter); Chayce McDermott, Ball State (Pitcher)
· Week ending April 4: Adrian Del Castillo, Miami (Hitter); Seth Lonsway, Ohio State (Pitcher)
· Week ending April 11: Ivan Melendez, Texas (Hitter); Jonathan Cannon, Georgia (Pitcher)
· Week ending April 18: Aaron Beck, Indiana State (Hitter); Alek Jacob, Gonzaga (Pitcher)
· Week ending April 25: T.J. Collett, Kentucky (Hitter); Landen Bourassa, San Francisco (Pitcher)
· Week ending May 2: Dustin Demeter, Hawaii (Hitter); Tyler Burnham, Seton Hall (Pitcher)
· Week ending May 9: Will Frizzell, Texas A&M (Hitter); Justin Campbell, Oklahoma State (Pitcher)
· Week ending May 16: Ethan Long, Arizona State (Hitter); Andrew Abbott, Virginia (Pitcher)
· Week ending May 23: Cody Littlejohn, Tennessee Tech (Hitter); Cooper Hjerpe, Oregon State (Pitcher)
2021 NCBWA Division I Players of the Month:
February: Wes Clarke, South Carolina (Player); Carson Whisenhunt, East Carolina (Pitcher)
· March: Tim Elko, Ole Miss (Player); Jack Leiter, Vanderbilt (Pitcher)
· April: Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Oklahoma State (Player); Kevin Kopps, Arkansas (Pitcher)
· May: Jack Rogers, Sam Houston (Player); Kevin Kopps, Arkansas (Pitcher)