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 March 10. USF junior infielder Bobby Boser was named National Hitter of the Week, while Wake Forest junior right-hander Chase Burns 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.
Boser had a career week that saw him hit five home runs and collect 16 RBI. He also hit for the cycle at Jacksonville on March 6, becoming the first Bull to do so since Bryan Hierlmeier on May 7, 2004.
The Wesley Chapel, Florida, native homered in three straight games – at UNF on March 5, at Jacksonville on March 6 and against North Carolina A&T on March 8. Boser homered twice at UNF and against North Carolina A&T and now has five multi-homer games in his career.
During his two-homer barrage at UNF, Boser logged a career-best seven RBI in the game. He followed that up with six RBI the next day while hitting for the cycle at Jacksonville.
The Bulls went 4-1 last week as Boser batted .476 (10-for-21), slugged 1.381 and posted a .500 OBP. Over five games, Boser recorded two doubles, one triple, five home runs, 16 RBI, 11 runs scored, one walk, one HBP and one stolen base, while posting a perfect fielding percentage at shortstop.
Burns fanned 14 of the 22 batters he faced Saturday night, for the second-highest single-game strikeout total in program history. The righty retired seven straight Blue Devils via strikeout over the first three innings, becoming the first Deacon to do so since Rhett Lowder against Illinois a season ago.
In addition to his career-high 14 strikeouts, the Hendersonville, Tennessee, native allowed just allowed just one run on two hits over six innings. In his first four appearances this season, Burns holds a 3-0 mark with 43 strikeouts in 23.1 innings of work and a 2.31 ERA. Additionally, Wake Forest is 4-0 this season when Burns takes the mound.
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).