FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
MORGANTOWN, W.Va – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) released its National Player of the Week awards for the period ending April 29, today. Southeast Missouri sophomore outfielder Derek Gibson was named National Hitter of the Week, while Northeastern junior left-hander Kevin Ferguson was named National Pitchers of the Week. The NCBWA Board reviews candidates from each Division I Conference each week and names winners each Tuesday throughout the season.
Gibson extended his hitting streak to 29 games (longest active streak in the OVC) last week as Southeast Missouri split a quartet of games. Gibson hit .571 (12-for-21) with seven runs scored, three doubles, three home runs, 13 RBI, a .591 on-base percentage and a 1.143 slugging percentage in the four contests. He had two hits in the team’s non-conference game with Southern Illinois and then opened the UT Martin series by going 4-for-5 with three doubles (tying the school record for a single game), two runs scored and two RBI. On Saturday, he had a single, a home run and four RBI and closed out the weekend by going 4-for-5 with a pair of three-run home runs and seven total RBI. Gibson currently ranks seventh in the OVC in batting (.356).
Ferguson threw a complete-game, one-hit shutout as Northeastern blanked Towson 2-0 on Sunday to complete a three-game series sweep. The junior lefty faced the minimum 27 batters, struck out nine and didn’t issue a walk in tossing his first complete game. Ferguson only gave up a second-inning single, and that runner was later picked off.
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 Executive Assistant Director Mike Montoro (304-293-2821, mike.montoro@mail.wvu.edu).
