Gibson shut out Texas on six hits while Towe drove in 16 runs during the week.
FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
NCBWA NAMES PRO-LINE ATHLETIC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK;
UAB’s DIGGER TOWE NAMED NATIONAL HITTER OF THE WEEK;
MISSOURI’S KYLE GIBSON EARNS PITCHING ACCOLADE
MORGANTOWN, W.Va – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) released the Pro-Line Athletic National Player of the Week awards for the period ending March 15, today. UAB junior catcher Digger Towe was named National Hitter of the Week, while Missouri junior right-handed pitcher Kyle Gibson 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.
Towe finished the week with a .571 batting average (12-for-21) and a .600 on-base percentage, while striking out just once in 25 plate appearances. The Charlotte, Mich., native managed multiple hits and multiple RBI in five of UAB’s six games as he helped the Blazers to a perfect 6-0 record over the past week. Towe tallied eight RBI in a two-game midweek series with UT Martin and added eight more in four games over the weekend with Harvard to finish the week with 16 RBI. He posted a 1.095 slugging percentage for the week as seven of his 12 hits went for extra bases on five doubles and two home runs. Towe also scored 10 runs on the week to have his hand in 26 UAB runs.
Gibson recorded his first career nine-inning shutout as Mizzou defeated then-No. 1 Texas, 2-0, last Saturday in the opener of the three-game series in Austin. The Greenfield, Ind., native struck out 11 batters and gave up six hits, improving to 3-1 on the year. Prior to last weekend’s triumph, Gibson has had two seven-inning complete games in his career. Gibson has an ERA of 0.90 on the year, striking out 38 batters in 30.0 innings pitched.
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 fifth season 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).
2009 WINNERS:
Pro-Line Athletic Hitter of the Week – Feb. 24 – Chris Karsten, Louisiana Tech; March 3 – Kent Matthes, Alabama; March 10 – Daniel Hill, Murray State; March 17 – Digger Towe, UAB
Pro-Line Athletic Pitcher of the Week – Feb. 24 – Shaeffer Hall, Kansas; March 3 – Ryan Berry, Rice and Brandon Workman, Texas; March 10 – Wade Kapteyn, Evansville; March 17 – Kyle Gibson, Missouri
Transactions – NCBWA named UAB junior catcher Digger Towe and Missouri junior right-handed pitcher Kyle Gibson as Pro-Line Athletic National Players of the Week.
