Thorpe Earns Another National Award for 15-Strikeout Performance
3/29/2022 11:17:00 AM | Baseball
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- The awards continue to come in for Cal Poly redshirt sophomore pitcher Drew Thorpe.
Thorpe, who struck out a career-high 15 UC San Diego batters over seven innings last Friday night, has been named Dick Howser Trophy National Pitcher of the Week presented by The Game Headwear. The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) released the award winners Tuesday.
Thorpe moved into the No. 1 spot in NCAA Division I with 66 strikeouts this season after his 108-pitch performance in La Jolla. The Washington, Utah native and Desert Hills High School graduate scattered three hits and walked just two, combining with reliever Jason Franks on the 7-0 shutout. The pair fanned 20 Triton batters, also tying a Cal Poly Division I record set against Cal State Fullerton in 2014.
Thorpe's 15 K's tied a school Division I mark set by Matt Imhof against Seattle, also in 2014. His 66 strikeouts this season are one more than Florida State's Parker Messick, who struck out 16 Duke batters in a 4-0 win Friday night.
Thorpe struck out the side twice, retired the side in order three times and broke his previous career high of 13 set against BYU two years ago. Prior to the seventh, Thorpe had faced just one batter over the minimum. A leadoff single in the third inning was erased on a double play and a leadoff walk in the fourth was wiped out when a Triton baserunner was thrown out at second trying to advance on a pitch in the dirt.
In addition to his No. 1 ranking for strikeouts, Thorpe is No. 11 in the nation in strikeout-to-walk ratio at 11.0 with just six walks issued so far, No. 19 in strikeouts per nine innings (14.03) and No. 35 in fewest walks allowed per nine innings (1.28).
Thorpe is 3-0 on the year with a 2.13 ERA as Cal Poly's Friday night starter. He has notched double-digit strikeouts in five of his six starts this year and nine times in his Mustang career.
On Monday, Thorpe was named Big West Conference Pitcher of the Week for the second time this year and the third of his Mustang career. He also was named one of Collegiate Baseball's National Players of the Week powered by Diamond Sports.
Kennesaw State senior outfielder Josh Hatcher and Southern Miss junior first baseman Christopher Sargent were named Co-National Hitters of the Week by the NCBWA Board, which reviews candidates from each Division I Conference and names winners each Tuesday throughout the season.
After hitting for the cycle twice in three games, Hatcher finished 12-for-24 with three doubles, three triples and two home runs. The Albany, Georgia native, completed his first cycle at No. 12 Georgia Tech with a 4-for-6 performance that led KSU to victory. Two games later, the centerfielder repeated the feat with another 4-for-6 day that included five RBIs in a win over North Florida.
Hatcher became the third player in NCAA Division I history to hit for two cycles in the same season. He currently holds an 18-game hit streak and a 22-game on-base streak. The KSU outfielder has registered 13 doubles on the year and is one shy of the national leader, Cal Poly shortstop Brooks Lee.
Sargent hit .600 during a 4-0 week for the Golden Eagles, going 12-for-20 with nine runs, three doubles, five home runs and 15 RBI. The Wilmer, Alabama native, also enjoyed a 1.500 slugging percentage and homered in all four games to now lead the team in both homers (8) and RBI (25).
Cal Poly steps away from Big West play this week, playing five non-conference games at home. The Mustangs (13-10), winners of six of their last seven games, host Santa Clara (15-8) on Tuesday night at 6 and Dixie State (13-10) for a four-game weekend series.
Thorpe, who struck out a career-high 15 UC San Diego batters over seven innings last Friday night, has been named Dick Howser Trophy National Pitcher of the Week presented by The Game Headwear. The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) released the award winners Tuesday.
Thorpe moved into the No. 1 spot in NCAA Division I with 66 strikeouts this season after his 108-pitch performance in La Jolla. The Washington, Utah native and Desert Hills High School graduate scattered three hits and walked just two, combining with reliever Jason Franks on the 7-0 shutout. The pair fanned 20 Triton batters, also tying a Cal Poly Division I record set against Cal State Fullerton in 2014.
Thorpe's 15 K's tied a school Division I mark set by Matt Imhof against Seattle, also in 2014. His 66 strikeouts this season are one more than Florida State's Parker Messick, who struck out 16 Duke batters in a 4-0 win Friday night.
Thorpe struck out the side twice, retired the side in order three times and broke his previous career high of 13 set against BYU two years ago. Prior to the seventh, Thorpe had faced just one batter over the minimum. A leadoff single in the third inning was erased on a double play and a leadoff walk in the fourth was wiped out when a Triton baserunner was thrown out at second trying to advance on a pitch in the dirt.
In addition to his No. 1 ranking for strikeouts, Thorpe is No. 11 in the nation in strikeout-to-walk ratio at 11.0 with just six walks issued so far, No. 19 in strikeouts per nine innings (14.03) and No. 35 in fewest walks allowed per nine innings (1.28).
Thorpe is 3-0 on the year with a 2.13 ERA as Cal Poly's Friday night starter. He has notched double-digit strikeouts in five of his six starts this year and nine times in his Mustang career.
On Monday, Thorpe was named Big West Conference Pitcher of the Week for the second time this year and the third of his Mustang career. He also was named one of Collegiate Baseball's National Players of the Week powered by Diamond Sports.
Kennesaw State senior outfielder Josh Hatcher and Southern Miss junior first baseman Christopher Sargent were named Co-National Hitters of the Week by the NCBWA Board, which reviews candidates from each Division I Conference and names winners each Tuesday throughout the season.
After hitting for the cycle twice in three games, Hatcher finished 12-for-24 with three doubles, three triples and two home runs. The Albany, Georgia native, completed his first cycle at No. 12 Georgia Tech with a 4-for-6 performance that led KSU to victory. Two games later, the centerfielder repeated the feat with another 4-for-6 day that included five RBIs in a win over North Florida.
Hatcher became the third player in NCAA Division I history to hit for two cycles in the same season. He currently holds an 18-game hit streak and a 22-game on-base streak. The KSU outfielder has registered 13 doubles on the year and is one shy of the national leader, Cal Poly shortstop Brooks Lee.
Sargent hit .600 during a 4-0 week for the Golden Eagles, going 12-for-20 with nine runs, three doubles, five home runs and 15 RBI. The Wilmer, Alabama native, also enjoyed a 1.500 slugging percentage and homered in all four games to now lead the team in both homers (8) and RBI (25).
Cal Poly steps away from Big West play this week, playing five non-conference games at home. The Mustangs (13-10), winners of six of their last seven games, host Santa Clara (15-8) on Tuesday night at 6 and Dixie State (13-10) for a four-game weekend series.
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