DALLAS (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association
released the Pro-Line Cap National Player of the Week awards for
the period ending March 14, today.
Creighton junior catcher Chris Gradoville was named National Hitter
of the Week, while Vanderbilt sophomore left-handed pitcher David Price
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.
Gradoville hit .500 with six home runs and 18 RBI in Creighton's five
game road swing through Tennessee. He opened the week with a 2-for-5 showing
at Vanderbilt, hitting a pair of two-RBI singles in the first and second
innings. In the three game series at Tennessee Tech, the Omaha native hammered
two home runs in each contest, including a grand slam, a three-run shot
and four solo homers. His first five hits against TTU were home runs. The
junior set his career high at five RBIs in Saturday's
contest, and tied an NCAA record with two home runs, a solo shot and a grand
slam, in CU's 13-run third inning. He improved on that the next day with
a 5-for-5 showing and six RBIs.
Gradoville batted .643, drove in 13 runs and scored seven runs in the
series, while slugging 1.929 in 14 at-bats. In addition, he added a sacrifice
fly against Belmont and stole a base at Tennessee Tech.
Price was dominant in his outing against Brown, recording a career-best
15 strikeouts in just seven innings. Six of the first nine outs were via
strikeout, and he had a no-hitter through 3.2 innings of work. After giving
up the hit in the fourth, the next five outs in the game came via strikeout.
He allowed one run on four hits with just one walk and left after seven
innings with a 7-1 lead.
With this week's honor, Price 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.
The Fort Worth-based Pro-Line Cap Co. supplies the official cap to more
than 100 Division I college teams. This is the second 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.prolinecap.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 on the Pro-Line Cap Players of the Week, contact
Mike Montoro at the
University of Southern Mississippi at 601-266-5947.
2006 Pro-Line Cap Players of the Week:
Feb. 14: Aaron Luna, Rice (Hitter); Nick Schmidt,
Arkansas (Pitcher)
· Feb. 21: Chris Swauger, The Citadel (Hitter);
Barry Enright, Pepperdine and Brad Furnish, TCU (Pitcher)
· Feb. 28: Kyle Russell, Texas (Hitter); Rodney
Brantley, Dallas Baptist (Pitcher)
· March 7: Luke Hopkins, New Mexico State (Hitter);
Joba Chamberlain, Nebraska (Pitcher)
· March 14: Chris Gradoville, Creighton (Hitter);
David Price, Vanderbilt (Pitcher)
· March 21: Kellen Kulbacki, James Madison (Hitter);
Daniel Best, Southern Miss and Miles Morgan, Texas Tech (Pitcher)
· March 28: Trey McDaniel, Western Carolina (Hitter);
Christian Friedrich, Eastern Kentucky (Pitcher)
· April 4: Andy D'Alessio, Clemson (Hitter); Tim
Lincecum, Washington (Pitcher)
· April 11: Reid Fronk, North Carolina (Hitter);
Adam Ottavino, Northeastern (Pitcher)
· April 18: Pedro Alvarez, Vanderbilt (Hitter);
Mike Ballard, Virginia (Pitcher)
· April 25: Case Cassedy, Furman (Hitter); Brooks
Brown, Georgia (Pitcher)
· May 2: Emeel Salem, Alabama (Hitter); Bobby Blevins, LeMoyne (Pitcher)
· May 9: Jacob Dempsey, Winthrop (Hitter); Nick Jones, Oral Roberts (Pitcher)
· May 16: Josh Dew, Troy (Hitter); Brad Lincoln, Houston (Pitcher)
Related links:
Pro-Line Cap Player of the Week plaques