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 7. Wake Forest junior infielder Nick Kurtz was named National Hitter of the Week, while Nebraska senior right-handed pitcher Brett Sears 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.
Kurtz joins teammate junior right-handed pitcher Chase Burns as NCBWA Dick Howser Award National Players of the Week. Burns was named the national pitcher of the week on March 12.
The Lancaster, Pennsylvania, native entered the week ninth all-time in program history in homers and moved all the way to sole possession of fourth with the six bombs. Kurtz has now homered in five consecutive games and has eight total during that span.
Kurtz became the first Demon Deacon with three home runs in a game since Brock Wilken against Alabama in the Winston-Salem Super Regional last season. His seven RBI on Sunday also marked a season-high for the junior and are the second-most in a single game in his career.
Sunday marked the first time in his collegiate career that he has hit three home runs in a single game, as he's previously recorded two home runs in seven different contests.
His three home runs also tied the program record for a single game, most recently achieved by former teammate Brock Wilken in the Winston-Salem Super Regional on June 11, 2023.
Sears improved to 6-0 this season with the complete-game shutout, the first by a Husker since Will Walsh in the Big Ten Tournament last season. Sears limited Ohio State to just two hits, the fewest in a complete game by a Nebraska pitcher since Matt Waldron against Michigan State in 2019.
It also marked Sears’ seventh consecutive quality start, which is the longest streak by a Husker hurler since Aaron Mardsen recorded seven straight in 2002. The right-hander punched out a career-high 10 batters without issuing a free pass, his fourth outing this season with seven-plus strikeouts and zero walks.
Sears retired 14 of the first 16 batters he faced on Friday night after working around a one-out single in the top of the fifth. The Buckeyes nearly had consecutive hits in the fifth frame until Cole Evans' diving, full-extension catch prevented OSU from recording its third hit of the night. He retired the next 14 Buckeyes after the one-out single in the fifth to preserve the complete-game shutout.
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).