April 17, 2009
SPOKANE, Wash. - Gonzaga University sophomore pitcher Cody Martin has been named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Midseason Stopper of the Year Watch List.
Forty-five relief pitchers are included on the midseason watch list for the fifth annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award, the association announced Thursday. The award is given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I college baseball.
Martin owns a 2.43 ERA with a 3-2 record and two saves in 2009. He has posted 40 strikeouts in 37.0 innings and has held hitters to a .221 batting average in 12 appearances. The sophomore right hander out of Dos Palos, Calif. earned NCBWA Freshman All-America second team honors, All-West Coast Conference honorable mention and All-WCC freshmen team honors last season.
The West Coast Conference had four players on the list along with the SEC and Pac-10, which was the third most of any conference in the country. The ACC had seven while the Big 12 put five players on the list. Making the list from the WCC along with Martin was SR Nick Gaudi (PEP), JR AJ Griffin (USD) and SO Thain Simon (SCU).
The midseason watch list also includes Addison Reed of San Diego State, who leads the nation with 12 saves and is the only closer with double digits in that category. The sophomore right-hander carries a 0.51 earned run average and has totaled 20 strikeouts in only 14.2 innings pitched.
The watch list was compiled from nominations submitted by sports information contacts and conference media relations offices nationwide. At the conclusion of the regular season, the Division I national saves leader and four other relief pitching standouts will be selected as finalists and released Wednesday, June 3, prior to start of NCAA Super Regional play.
The NCBWA's All-America Committee then will select the winner, with this year's recipient to be announced Saturday, June 13, before the opening of NCAA College World Series.
Texas hurler J. Brent Cox won the inaugural Stopper of the Year Award in 2005, with Don Czyz of Kansas claiming the honor in 2006, Luke Prihoda of Sam Houston State winning it in 2007 and Georgia's Joshua Fields topping the field in 2008.
The NCBWA, founded in 1962, presents the Dick Howser Trophy to the nation's top player. It also selects a Division I All-America Team, Division I Freshman All-Americans, Division I and III Players of the Week, Division I District Players of the Year and Division II and III Players of the Year.
