RUSTON, La. ? Louisiana Tech’s Brian Rike was one of 50 semifinalists named for the 2007 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award as announced by USA Baseball today. The Golden Spikes Award is given annually by USA Baseball to baseball’s premier amateur player.
The winner will be announced July 29 during the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. Players from 40 schools make up this year’s group of semi-finalists. The 50 semi-finalists are selected by a committee after receiving nominations from sports information directors across the country. A voting body of 125 members will select five finalists and the eventual winner.
Rike is among the national leaders in multiple offensive categories for the Bulldogs. He is second in home runs with 20, third in runs scored with 68 and tied for seventh in RBI with 61.
No other player from the Western Athletic Conference was named a Golden Spikes semi-finalist.
The semifinalists for the 30th annual Golden Spikes Award are:
Adrian Alaniz, Texas, RHP, Jr., Sinton, TX
Pedro Alvarez, Vanderbilt, IF, So., New York, NY
Jake Arrieta, TCU, RHP, Jr., Plano, TX
Travis Banwart, Wichita State, RHP, Jr., Wichita, KS
Corey Brown, Oklahoma State, OF, Jr., Tampa, FL
Chris Campbell, College of Charleston, 2B, Sr., Jacksonville, FL
Mitch Canham, Oregon State, C, So., Lake Stevens, WA
Zach Cozart, Mississippi, INF, Jr., Collierville, TN
Brandon Crawford, UCLA, SS, So., Pleasanton, CA
Lars Davis, Illinois, C, Jr., Grand Prairie, Alberta
Ross Detwiler, Missouri St., LHP, Jr., Wentzville, MO
Josh Donaldson, Auburn, C/IF, Jr., Pensacola, FL
Sean Doolittle, Virginia, LHP/1B, Jr., Tabernacle, NJ
Allan Dykstra, Wake Forest, 1B, So., San Diego, CA
Barry Enright, Pepperdine, RHP, Jr., Stockton, CA
Blair Erickson, UC Irvine, RHP, Sr., Fair Oaks, CA
Eric Farris, LMU, INF, Jr., Chandler, AZ
Todd Frazier, Rutgers, SS, Jr., Toms River, NJ
Preston Guilmet, Arizona, RHP, So., Citrus Heights, CA
Mitch Harris, Navy, RHP/RF, Jr., Mt. Holly, NC
Bryan Henry, Florida State, RHP, Sr., Tallahassee, FL
Nick Hill, Army, LHP, Sr., Bluff City, TN
Harris Honeycutt, South Carolina, RHP, Jr., Fuquay-Varina, NC
Josh Horton, UNC, SS, Jr., Hillsborough, NC
Logan Johnson, Louisville, UT, Sr., Owensboro, KY
Kellen Kulbacki, James Madison, OF, Jr., Palmyra, PA
Matt LaPorta, Florida, IF, Sr., Charlotte, FL
Tyler Mach, Oklahoma State, INF, Sr., Kent, WA
Brian Matusz, USD, P, So., Cave Creek, AZ
Adam Mills, UNC-Charlotte, RHP, Sr., Big Pool, MD
Daniel Moskos, Clemson, LHP, Jr., Alta Loma, CA
Kyle Nicholson, Texas A&M, RHP, Sr., College Station, TX
Danny Payne, Georgia Tech, OF/P, Jr., Woodstock, GA
David Price, Vanderbilt, P, Jr., Murfreesboro, TN
Chris Raber, Coastal Carolina, IF, Sr., Coplay, PA
Brian Rike, La. Tech, OF, Jr., Richmond, TX
Tyson Ross, California, P, So., Oakland, CA
Kyle Russell, Texas, OF, So., Tomball, TX
Joe Savery, Rice, LHP/IF, Jr., Bellaire, TX
Nick Schmidt, Arkansas, LHP, Jr., St. Louis, MO
Anthony Shawler, ODU, RHP/1B, So., Chesapeake, VA
James Simmons, UC Riverside, RHP, Jr., Norco, CA
Justin Smoak, S. Carolina, 1B, So., Goose Creek, SC
Eric Sogard, Arizona State, 2B, Jr., Phoenix, AZ
Tony Thomas Jr., Florida State, 2B, Jr., Valrico, FL
Jacob Thompson, Virginia, RHP, So., Danville, VA
Brett Wallace, Arizona State, 1B, So., Sonoma, CA
Casey Weathers, Vanderbilt, RHP, Sr., Elk, Grove, CA
Matt Wieters, Georgia Tech, C/P, Jr., Goose Creek, SC
Robert Woodard, UNC, RHP, Sr., Charlotte, NC