FROM CBB NEWS SOURCES
DALLAS – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) released the Pro-Line Athletic National Player of the Week awards for the period ending May 4, today. Jacksonville State senior outfielder Clay Whittemore was named National Hitter of the Week, while Texas junior right-hander Kenn Kasparek 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.
Whittemore hit an amazing .714 (15-of-21) last week as Jacksonville State compiled a 4-0 record. That record included a sweep of conference rival Morehead State, as the Gamecocks outscored the Eagles 53-16 in a three-game set. The Cullman, Ala., native scored 13 runs, had four doubles, four home runs and eight RBI to go along with a 1.476 slugging percentage. He raised his batting average by 42 points (to a team-best .401) on the week by posting three straight four-hit games and a three-hit game. He also set a JSU record with 11 total bases in Saturday’s 18-5 victory in which he had a pair of home runs. Whittemore has hits in 17 of his last 19 games and leads JSU with 20 multiple-hit and 12 multiple-RBI games on the year.
Kasparek threw 17.0 shutout innings on the week, allowing just three hits and one walk, while hitting two batters. He pitched the 20th no-hitter in school history against the Texas State Bobcats on Tuesday, facing the minimum 27 hitters for the first time in school annals. Five days later, the Weimar, Texas, native pitched eight scoreless innings with just three hits and one walk in a 2-0 blanking of Baylor in the series finale on Sunday. He fanned 18 batters over two games with nine K’s in each contest.
With this week’s honor, Kasparek automatically is named to the watch list for Roger Clemens Award, given to the national collegiate pitcher of the year, sponsored by the Greater Houston Baseball Organization.
Fort Worth-based Pro-Line Athletic supplies the official cap to more than 100 Division I college teams and official uniforms and team wear to six Division 1 college teams. This is the fourth year 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, visit their Web site at: www.prolineathletic.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, contact NCBWA Assistant Executive Director Mike Montoro (304-293-2821, mike.montoro@mail.wvu.edu).
2008 WINNERS:
Pro-Line Athletic Hitter of the Week – Feb. 25 – Dustin Ackley, North Carolina; March 4 – Sawyer Carroll, Kentucky; March 11 – Aaron Murphree, Arkansas; March 18 – Tyler Kuhn, West Virginia; March 25 – Mike McKenna, Florida Atlantic; April 1 – Alan Ahmady, Fresno State; April 8 – Ryan Pond, NC State; April 15 – Jacob Priday, Missouri; April 22 – Dexter Fontenot, Louisiana-Monroe; April 29 – Ty Wright, Georgia Southern; May 6 – Clay Whittemore, Jacksonville State
Pro-Line Athletic Pitcher of the Week – Feb. 25 – Lance Lynn, Ole Miss; March 4 – Joey Seal, Norfolk State, Barry Bowden, Southern Miss; March 11 – David Coulon, Arizona; March 18 – Ricky Bowen, Mississippi State; March 25 – Aaron Crow, Missouri; April 1 – Branond McClurg, Lipscomb, Josh Romanski, San Diego; April 8 – Nick Haughian, Washington; April 15 – Stephen Strasburg, San Diego State; April 22 – Chris Manno, Duke; April 29 – Chris Hernandez, Miami; May 6 – Kenn Kasparek, Texas
