DALLAS (NCBWA) – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) released the Pro-Line Cap National Player of the Week awards for the period ending April 3. Vanderbilt junior first baseman Mike Baxter was named National Hitter of the Week, while Missouri sophomore RHP Max Scherzer 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.

Baxter helped lead the Commodores to their first series win over Ole Miss in eight years and a 3-1 record for the week. The Whitestone, N.Y., native batted .625 (10-16) in four games and went 8-12 vs. Ole Miss for a .667 batting average. He drove in 10 runs, including four vs. Ole Miss in game two. He had a double in all but one game and was 1-2 in stolen bases. Baxter hit two home runs during the week including a three-run blast over right field.

Scherzer teamed with sophomore Michael Cole to throw the Tigers' first no-hitter since 1981 as MU defeated Texas Tech, 25-0 last Friday. The Chesterfield, Mo., native struck out a career-high 14 Red Raiders in seven innings of work to pick up the win in his sixth consecutive start and to advance to 6-1 overall. He struck out the first four batters he faced and fanned the side in order in three of his seven innings. The no-hitter was the first at MU since Jim Maddock held Nebraska hitless in May, 1981.

With this week's honor, Scherzer automatically is named to the watch list for Roger Clemens Award, given to the national collegiate pitcher of the year, sponsored by the Greater Houston Baseball Organization.

The Fort Worth-based Pro-Line Cap Co. supplies the official cap to more than 100 Division I college teams. This is the first season Pro-Line has sponsored the NCBWA's Players of the Week. The sponsorship provides for plaques to be awarded to each of the weekly winners and other promotional consideration. For more information about Pro-Line, visit their website at www.prolinecap.com.

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 website, www.ncbwa.com.

2005 Pro-Line Cap Players of the Week:
• Feb. 8: Grant Rembert, Elon (Hitter); Erik Averill, Arizona State (Pitcher)
• Feb. 15: Scott Bridges, Arkansas (Hitter); Brian Bogusevic, Tulane (Pitcher)
• Feb. 22: Drew Stubbs, Texas (Hitter); Taylor Fowler, Arkansas State (Pitcher)
• March 1: Kurt Eichorn, Kent State (Hitter); Tyler Chambliss, Florida State (Pitcher)
• March 8: Matt Wieters, Georgia Tech (Hitter); J.C. Biagi, Centenary (Pitcher)
• March 15: Jeremy Slayden, Georgia Tech (Hitter); Lance Broadway, TCU and Gib Hobson, N.C. State (Pitcher)
• March 22: Alex Gordon, Nebraska (Hitter); Luke Hochevar, Tennessee (Pitcher)
• March 29: Josh Rodriguez, Rice (Hitter); Brent Gaphardt, Delaware (Pitcher)
• April 5: Mike Baxter, Vanderbilt (Hitter); Max Scherzer, Missouri (Pitcher)
• April 12: Dusty Bensko, Illinois (Hitter); J. Brent Cox, Texas (Pitcher)
• April 19: Mike Costanzo, Coastal Carolina (Hitter); Adrian Alaniz, Texas (Pitcher)
• April 26: Brandon Taylor, BYU (Hitter); Ricky Brooks, East Carolina (Pitcher)
• May 3: Doug Beck, Utah (Hitter); Matt Maloney, Ole Miss (Pitcher)
• May 10: J.R. Kyes, Illinois (Hitter); Brad Lincoln, Houston (Pitcher)
• May 17: Justin Beam, Pacific (Hitter); Jeff Denlea, Hofstra (Pitcher)
• May 24: Craig Cooper, Notre Dame and Adam Tucker, Birmingham-Southern (Hitter); Lance Broadway, TCU (Pitcher)

Related links:
• Pro-Line Cap to sponsor NCBWA Players of the Week
• Pro-Line Cap Player of the Week plaques