CHICAGO (NBCWA) – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) released its National Hitter and Pitcher of the Week awards for the period ending May 11.

Rothkugel

Weaver

Central Connecticut State junior first baseman Phil Rothkugel has been named National Hitter of the Week, while Long Beach State sophomore RHP Jered Weaver was named National Pitcher of the Week. The NCBWA Board reviews candidates from each Division I Conference each week and names winners each Tuesday throughout the season.

Rothkugel earns the honor following an outstanding stretch at the plate in the Blue Devils' 3-1 week in which he went 9-for-14 (.643) with three homers, five runs, 10 RBI and a 1.357 slugging percentage as CCSU clinched its first-ever Northeast Conference regular season championship and earned the No. 1 seed in the NEC tournament. He hit safely in all four games, including a 6-for-7, four RBI performance in a split with regional power Maine on Wednesday.

In a sweep of Wagner on Saturday, Rothkugel belted a pair of homers in the opener, going 2-3 with five RBI. He also added a sacrifice fly in the nightcap. Since dropping to a season-low .218 average on April 13, Rothkugel has hit safely in 20-of-22 games and is currently riding a nine-game hitting streak. In those 22 games, Rothkugel is batting .533 with six homers and 33 RBI.

Weaver tied his career-high with 13 strikeouts en route to his 11th win of the season over then-No. 18 UC Riverside. Weaver, after giving up a solo homer to leadoff the game, retired 24 of the next 27, until a leadoff single in the eighth (he later scored). He limited the Big West's top offense to a season-low four hits, giving up two runs, while walking one. On the year, Weaver is 11-3 with a 2.21 ERA, with 116 strikeouts and just 15 walks.