CHICAGO (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers
Association (NCBWA) released its National Hitter and Pitcher of the
Week awards for the period ending Feb. 15.
Texas junior second baseman Seth Johnston has been named National
Hitter of the Week, while Oklahoma junior LHP David Purcey 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.
Johnston played an instrumental role in helping Texas win all three of
its games at the 2004 Minute Maid Classic. He earned tournament Most Outstanding
Player honors hitting .500 (5-10) with four runs scored, two home runs,
four RBIs and stole three bases. He also collected 11 total bases for the
weekend, displaying a 1.100 slugging percentage. Texas beat Ohio State,
6-0, No. 1 Rice, 6-3, and Houston, 6-5.
Purcey earned Coca-Cola Classic All-Tournament honors as he was instrumental
in ending Arizona State's NCAA record 506 consecutive scoring games streak
with a 6-0 win. In seven innings, he allowed just a swinging bunt single
back to the pitcher for the only hit by the Sun Devils in his first seven
frames. After the single, he retired 16-straight batters, working ahead
of the count in eight of the 16-straight batters he retired to end his outing.
Purcey issued only two walks and didn't throw a wild pitch or hit a batter.
His seven innings tied a career-high for the third-straight start (dating
back to his last two starts of 2003.
Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college
baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters and publicists of
the sport. Members receive a membership card, directory, newsletter updates
and official votes in the Howser Award Player of the Year, Regional Player
of the Year and NCBWA All-America voting. The NCBWA also sponsors preseason
All-American awards, publication and writing contests.
2004 NCBWA Division I Players of the Week:
• Feb. 10: Josh Brady, Texas Tech (Hitter); Jered
Weaver, Long Beach State (Pitcher)
• Feb. 17: Seth Johnston, Texas (Hitter); David Purcey, Oklahoma (Pitcher)
• Feb. 24: Brian Bixley, Eastern Michigan (Hitter); Adam Gold,
California and Jason Urquidez, Arizona State (Pitcher)
• March 2: Sean Gaston, Notre Dame and Jed Lowrie, Stanford (Hitter);
Derek Duclos, Richmond and Derek Hankins, Memphis (Pitcher)
• March 9: Ryan Frith, Southern Miss and Stephen Head, Ole Miss (Hitter);
Clay Dirks, LSU and Jim Ripley, Kansas State (Pitcher)
• March 16: Connor Robertson, Birmingham-Southern (Hitter); Cliff Russum,
Southern Miss (Pitcher)
• March 23: Jonathan Batts, UNC Wilmington and Rielly Embrey, San Diego
State (Hitter); Jarame Beaupre, Delaware and Matt Daley, Bucknell (Pitcher)
• March 30: Warner Jones, Vanderbilt (Hitter); Steve Grasley, Creighton
and Jered Weaver, Long Beach State (Pitcher)
• April 6: Grant Richardson, Washington State (Hitter); Dennis Bigley,
Oral Roberts (Pitcher)
• April 13: Brad Corley, Mississippi State (Hitter); Brian Bogusevic,
Tulane (Pitcher)
• April 20: Todd Kimling, Eastern Michigan and Daniel Stovall, New Mexico
(Hitter); Tim Layden, Duke and J.P. Howell, Texas (Pitcher)
• April 27: Nic Crosta, Santa Clara and Richard Gianotto, Miami (Hitter);
Matt Campbell, South Carolina and Zack Zuercher, Rhode Island (Pitcher)
• May 4: Brian Hall, Stanford and Kurt Suzuki, Cal State
Fullerton (Hitter); Zac Cline, West Virginia and Arik Hempy, South Carolina (Pitcher)
• May 11: Justin Holmes, Georgia and Lee McLean, UNC Wilmington
(Hitter); Tim Lincecum, Washington and Jered Weaver, Long Beach State (Pitcher)
• May 18: Steve Cavarati, Ohio State and Eric Nielsen, UNLV (Hitter);
Mike Rogers and Vern Sterry, N.C. State (Pitcher)
• May 25: Josh Ford, Baylor and Andy Hudak, Bowling Green (Hitter);
Greg Bunn, East Carolina and Jason Windsor, Cal State Fullerton (Pitcher)