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 27 today. Ole Miss junior outfielder Auston Bousfield was named National Hitter of the Week, while Cal State Fullerton sophomore right-handed pitcher Thomas Eshelman 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.
Bousfield hit .714 in the weekend series at No. 17 Kentucky with four doubles and a home run. The sweep was the first for the Rebels over a nationally-ranked team on the road since sweeping No. 16 Arkansas in 2009. The Oakland, Fla., native tallied a team-leading eight runs scored and seven RBI to help the Rebels post only the third series sweep of Kentucky in program history and first since 2002. He raised his season average nearly 30 points to .371 on the year and extended his SEC-leading hit total to 72 for the season with his 10-for-14 performance against the Wildcats. Bousfield tallied a 1.214 slugging percentage with a .765 on base percentage, as he also drew two walks and was hit by a pitch.
Eshelman threw a 10-inning complete game shutout in the series opener against Hawai’i, scattering six hits in the contest. The Carlsbad, Calif., native became the first Titans pitcher since Jason Windsor in 2004 to throw 10 innings, and earned the win on Tanner Pinkston’s walk-off single in the 10th frame. It was Eshelman’s third complete game of the season and his second shutout. He struck out six hitters for the game, and retired the final two hitters on a strikeout and fly out with Rainbow Warrior runners at the corners in the 10th inning.
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.
