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 16. California senior outfielder Kade Kretzschmar was named National Hitter of the Week, while Rutgers freshman right-handed pitcher Christian Coppola and Oregon junior right-handed pitcher Jace Stoffal were named National Co-Pitchers of the Week. The NCBWA Board reviews candidates from each Division I Conference and names winners each Tuesday throughout the season.
Kretzschmar led Cal to a 4-1 week that included a Pac-12 series victory at Utah. He had an outstanding week at the plate, going 15-for-21 (.714) with a pair of home runs, three doubles, 10 RBI, six runs scored, two walks a stolen base while slashing .714/.680/1.143. The two home runs give him eight on the year, a new career-high. The left-handed slugger went 3-for-3 on Sunday and was a triple shy of the cycle in the series-clinching win over Utah.
The Carlsbad, California, native entered the week hitting .232 and raised his batting average by nearly 100 points and now leads the Bears with a .319 average. He has nine multi-hit games on the season; eight in the month of April. He had five multi-hit games last week, including three three-hit performances. He matched his career high with four hits against Saint Mary's on Tuesday.
Coppola pitched an eight-inning, 12-strikeout gem against Michigan. The Galloway, New Jersey, native threw eight shutout innings, allowing just five hits and striking out 12 Michigan batters, while not issuing a single walk. His dominant performance helped Rutgers win the game 13-0 and ultimately the series over the Wolverines.
After striking out three straight to end the seventh at 86 pitches, Coppola came back out for the eighth and struck out two more batters to finish a 1-2-3 frame on just nine pitches.
Stoffal tossed a complete game shutout against No. 8 Stanford, who entered the weekend as the Pac-12's top scoring team, on Friday. Stoffal allowed just three hits in the outing while matching a career high with nine strikeouts. After allowing a leadoff single, the Roseburg, Oregon, native proceeded to retire the next 13 batters before allowing a single and a walk in the fifth. Stoffal pitched out of the one-out jam that inning and then put down the next 11 batters in order before giving up a leadoff single in the ninth. He retired the final three batters in the ninth, the final two on strikeouts.
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).
This marks the eighth consecutive year that the NCBWA has honored a player and pitcher of the month. 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, ncbwa.com.