MORGANTOWN, W. VA. (NCBWA) – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association released its Dick Howser Trophy National Player of the Week awards presented by The Game Headwear for the period ending Feb. 27. Virginia sophomore third baseman Jake Gelof and Tennessee senior third baseman Trey Lipscomb were named Co-National Hitters of the Week, while Oklahoma sophomore left-handed pitcher Chazz Martinez was named National Pitcher of the Week. The NCBWA Board reviews candidates from each Division I Conference and names winners each Tuesday throughout the season.
Gelof hit .900 (9-for-10) with four home runs and 15 RBI in four games. The Rehoboth Beach, Delaware native, reached bases 13 times and slugged 2.500 for the week. In the series finale against Cornell on Sunday he hit for the cycle in just four at bats and five innings played, becoming the first Cavalier to hit for the cycle in 21 years. In Friday’s series opener against the Big Red, Gelof smacked two homers and tallied eight RBI, the most by a Cavalier since 2013.
Lipscomb had a monster week as the Vols dominated UNC Asheville on Wednesday before sweeping Iona over the weekend. The Frederick, Maryland native, became just the fourth player in program history to hit for the cycle, going 5-for-5 with two doubles, a triple and a homer in Friday's series-opening win over the Gaels. He also had a career-high nine RBI in the game, one shy of the single-game program record.
Lipscomb followed that performance by finishing a double short of the cycle in Saturday's game, going 3-for-4 with a triple, a homer and three RBI. He capped his impressive week with another multi-hit and multi-RBI performance, going 2-for-3 with a double and a pair of RBI. For the week, Lipscomb hit .786 and led the team with three doubles, two triples, three homers, 16 RBI, 27 total bases and a 1.929 slugging percentage.
Martinez's dominant performance in OU's 5-1 win on Sunday helped the Sooners clinch their weekend series against Northwestern State, held at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The redshirt sophomore from San Pedro, California, struck out six straight batters in the second and third innings, and later retired nine batters in a row following a one-out double in the fourth inning. He did not allow a runner past second base in the game.
The 14 strikeouts by Martinez were the most by an OU pitcher since Levi Prater had 15 against Missouri State in 2019. It was also the first time a Sooner pitcher struck out six consecutive batters since Jake Irvin against Oklahoma State in 2018.
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For more information on the Dick Howser Trophy and the NCBWA Division I National Players of the Week, contact NCBWA Assistant Executive Director Mike Montoro at West Virginia University at 304-293-2821.