NCBWA NAMES DIVISION INATIONAL PLAYERS OF THE MONTH

DALLAS (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association has named Texas A&M senior first baseman Hunter Melton the National Hitter of the Month and Lamar senior right-hander Will Hibbs the National Pitcher of the Month for April, the organization announced on Wednesday.


Melton, a native of Corsicana, Texas, hit .446 (33-for-74) with five doubles, six homers and 28 RBI in 18 games in April for the Texas A&M Aggies. While spurring Texas A&M to a No. 2 ranking in the latest NCBWA Poll, Melton charted a .757 slugging and a .457 on-base percentage, scoring 19 runs during the month. On the year, Melton has hit .368 (64-for-174) with 43 runs, 11 doubles, two triples and 10 homers, driving in 56 runs and owning a .626 slugging and a .431 on-base percentage. Meltons six homers and 28 RBI ranked atop the Southeastern Conference in April, leading the league with his 56 RBI and 10 homers in 2016.


A native of Friendswood, Texas, Hibbs was a unanimous choice for National Pitcher of the Month for April. A 6-foot-7, 235-pound right-hander, Hibbs went 5-0 with a 1.75 ERA in seven games and five starts during the month. He finished with 36 innings, allowing only 28 hits and seven earned runs, walking six and striking out 45 during the month. During 2016, Hibbs has a 9-1 record and a 1.89 ERA in 13 games and 11 starts, hurling 76 innings, allowing only 58 hits and 19 walks, striking out 77. After throwing a complete-game shutout vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Hibbs was named Southland Conference Pitcher of the Week honors, allowing only five hits and a walk with 10 strikeouts. He fanned double-digits in three of his seven outings in April.


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 NCBWA Division I National Players of the Month, contact NCBWA Assistant Executive Director Mike Montoro at West Virginia University at 304-293-2821.


2016 NCBWA Division I Players of the Week:

Feb. 21: Jeren Kendall, Vanderbilt (Hitter); Zach Muckenhirn, North Dakota (Pitcher)

· Feb. 28: Brandon Gutzler, Murray State (Hitter); Logan Shore, Florida (Pitcher)

· March 6: Darik Hall, Dallas Baptist (Hitter); Lucas Humpal, Texas State (Pitcher)

· March 13: Joe Cronin, Boston College (Hitter); Jesse Scholtens, Wright State (Pitcher)

· March 20: John Jones, South Carolina (Hitter); Seth Romero, Houston (Pitcher)

· March 27: Tyler Chadwick, Coastal Carolina (Hitter); Ryan Hingst, Arizona State (Pitcher)

· April 5: Tanner Kirwer, Niagara (Hitter); Andrew Wantz, UNCG (Pitcher)

· April 12: Michael Davis, Texas Tech (Hitter); Zac Gallen, North Carolina (Pitcher)

· April 19: Greg Guers, Penn State (Hitter); Shane McCarthy, Seton Hall (Pitcher)

· April 26: Logan Gray, Austin Peay (Hitter); Cody Sedlock, Illinois (Pitcher)

· May 3: J.B Woodman, Ole Miss (Hitter); Chad Donato, West Virginia (Pitcher)

· May 10: Brandon Soat, IPFW (Hitter); Kyle Simonds, Texas A&M (Pitcher)

· May 17: Blake Benefield, Middle Tennessee (Hitter); Eric Lauer, Kent State (Pitcher)

· May 24: Dillon Cooper, Alabama State (Hitter); Sam Perez, Missouri State (Pitcher)


2016 NCBWA Division I Players of the Month:

February: Taylor Braley, Southern Miss (Hitter); Brendon McKay, Lousiville (Pitcher)

· March: Seth Beer, Clemson (Hitter); Seth Romero, Houston and Clarke Schmidt, South Carolina (Pitcher)

· April: Hunter Melton, Texas A&M (Hitter); Will Hibbs, Lamar (Pitcher)

· May: Daniel Johnson, New Mexico State (Hitter); Dakota Hudson, Mississippi State (Pitcher)