DALLAS (NCBWA) – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) released its Dick Howser Trophy National Player of the Week awards presented by The Game Headwear for the period ending April 23. BYU senior third baseman Austin Deming was named National Hitter of the Week, while San Diego State junior left-handed pitcher TJ Fondtain 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.
In four non-conference games, Deming hit .706 (12-for-17), had four home runs, four doubles, scored 11 runs and had 15 RBI. He totaled 30 bases with an OBP of .737 and a slugging percentage of 1.647. He hit safely in all four games, including multiple hits in three of the four outings. In game three of the UNCG series on Saturday, the Santa Clara, Utah, native hit a two-out grand slam in the seventh inning that proved to be the game winner and clinch the series sweep.
Through 38 games of the 2023 season, Deming leads BYU in nearly every offensive category, including batting average (.436), runs (36), RBI (50), doubles (10), home runs (16), total bases (106) and slugging percentage (.964).
Fondtain tossed the first no-hitter of his collegiate career in the Aztecs’ 4-0 victory over Nevada in the opener of a Mountain West series at Tony Gwynn Stadium. The Clovis, California, native came tantalizingly close to a perfect game, retiring 24 consecutive batters before issuing a walk to the Wolf Pack’s Taylor Holder to start the ninth.
He then induced a flyout to Dawson Martin before freezing pinch hitter Jackson Waller on a called third strike, setting the stage for one final at-bat. On a 2-0 offering from Fondtain, Nolan Wilson lifted a fly ball to deep left field; however, Irvin Weems made a full sprint to his left to make the catch, as the Aztec bench erupted in jubilation.
Fondtain completed the eighth no-hitter in school history and SDSU’s first since Stephen Strasburg accomplished the feat in a 5-0 victory over Air Force on May 8, 2009. Fondtain established a career high with 14 strikeouts, including five straight to start the game. He pitched his second complete-game shutout as a collegian, helping the Aztecs record consecutive whitewashes for the first time since March 9 and March 11, 2014, vs. Nevada (3-0) and at CSUN (12-0). Fondtain’s 14 strikeouts were the most by an SDSU hurler since Bubba Derby fanned 15 batters against Air Force on April 4, 2014.
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, contact NCBWA Executive Associate Director Mike Montoro (304-293-2821, mike.montoro@mail.wvu.edu).