CHICAGO - The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) released its National Hitter and Pitcher of the Week awards for the period ending April 6th, today. Rice sophomore RHP Wade Townsend and Oral Roberts sophomore RHP Dennis Bigley share Pitcher of the Week honors while Saint Joseph's senior catcher Mike DeLorenzo was named the National Hitter of the Week. The NCBWA Board reviews candidates from each Division I Conference each week and names winners each Tuesday throughout the season.
Townsend picked up a win and a save in two appearances last week. Against Houston on April 1, he allowed just one hit in seven innings while striking out 10 in an 11-0 win. On April 5, he pitched the final two innings against Hawaii and struck out six in the 2-0 victory. For the week, he allowed two hits, no runs, three walks and struck out 16 in nine innings.
Bigley posted the best performance of his career over the weekend, firing a complete game, three-hitter to win at No. 9 Miami (Fla.), 10-1, on April 5. Bigley fanned seven in the win, which was the first nine-inning complete game of his career. At one point, he set down 10 straight batters; he also went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, an RBI and a stolen base. He lowered his ERA by more than a run (to 4.05) with his performance, which helped the Golden Eagles to the first win by a Mid-Con team over a top-10 ranked team since Valparaiso beat then No. 1 Notre Dame in 2001.
DeLorenzo had a flair for the dramatic in a pair of Saint Joseph's victories in Atlantic 10 play over the weekend, cracking a pair of walk-off home runs versus Duquesne. He hit a two-run shot with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to give SJU a 4-2 win on Apr. 5. Then, with the Hawks trailing 3-2 with two outs on Apr. 6, DeLorenzo hit his second straight game-winning home run to propel Saint Joseph's to the 4-3 victory. He had four RBI and scored four runs vs. Duquesne, hitting the two homers after beginning the series with just three career homers.
PREVIOUS WINNERS:Hitter of the Week - Feb. 4- Ryan Baty, LF, Kansas; Feb. 11 - Jonny Kaplan, CF, Tulane; Feb. 18 - Travis Metcalf, 3B, Kansas; Feb. 25 - C.J. Smith, C, Florida; Mar. 4 - Jeff Cook, OF, Southern Miss; Mar. 11 - Ronnie Prettyman, DH, Cal State Fullerton; Mar. 18 - Anthony Raglani, 1B, George Washington; Mar. 25 - Michael Aubrey, Tulane; Apr. 1 - Ryan Braun, Miami (Fla.).
Pitcher of the Week - Feb. 4- Jered Liebeck, RHP, Arizona State; Feb. 11 - Wes Littleton, Cal State Fullerton; Feb. 18 - Sean Rierson, RHP, Arizona; Feb. 25 - Kyle Sleeth, RHP, Wake Forest; Mar. 4 - Alan Johnson, RHP, Mississippi State; Mar. 11 - Jeff Garner, RHP, Central Michigan; Mar. 18 - Jarrett Gardner, Arkansas; Mar. 25 - Tom Robbins, RHP, Southwest Texas State; Apr. 1 - Matt Luca, UNLV.