DALLAS (NCBWA) – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association released its National Player of the Week awards for the period ending March 17. Oklahoma State outfielder Zach Fish was named National Hitter of the Week, while Villanova junior right-handed pitcher Pat Young 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.

Fish	Young

Fish helped OSU to a perfect 5-0 week as he led an offense that produced 54 runs in its five outings. The sophomore slugger turned in a .600 batting average (12-for-20) with a team-leading eight RBI, and he hit safely in all five games to extend a season-long hitting streak to 13 games. The Cowboys' right fielder had multiple hits in four of the five games, including tying a career high with three hits in three of those contests, and also had three two-RBI games. He was 7-for-11 (.636) with runners in scoring position. In his five-game tear, Fish tallied 20 total bases and turned in a 1.000 slugging percentage. He had at least one extra-base hit in four of the five games and finished with five doubles and a home run. Fish also led OSU with three stolen bases on three attempts and scored a team-high eight runs.

Young had a career-high 18 strikeouts in an 8-2 win over Chicago State on March 15, producing 18 of his 21 outs via the punchout. Young faced 26 batters and only six of them put the ball in play against him. He allowed three singles, hit two batters and registered three outs on balls hit to shortstop in the fourth inning. For the rest of the day it was strikeouts which were the outcome of most plate appearances. Young struck out the side an incredible six times, including the first three innings in a row and again in three straight innings from the fourth through the seventh. Chicago State batters swung and missed at Young's pitches 23 times. The junior's single-game strikeout total ranks first in Division I, and is the most in a game by a Division I pitcher in the 2012 and 2013 seasons. Young allowed just three hits in seven scoreless innings.

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 on the NCBWA Division I National Players of the Week, contact NCBWA Assistant Executive Director Mike Montoro at West Virginia University at 304-293-2821.

2013 NCBWA Division I Players of the Week:
• Feb. 19: Danny Collins, Troy (Hitter); Buck Farmer, Georgia Tech (Pitcher)
• Feb. 26: Charlie White, Maryland (Hitter); Bryce Biggerstaff, Central Arkansas (Pitcher)
• March 5: A.J. Reed, Kentucky (Hitter); Mark Appel, Stanford and Carlos Rodon, N.C. State (Pitcher)
• March 12: Cody Hudson, Austin Peay (Hitter); Frankie Vanderka, Stony Brook (Pitcher)
• March 19: Zach Fish, Oklahoma State (Hitter); Pat Young, Villanova (Pitcher)
• March 26: C.K. Irby, Samford (Hitter); Ryan Kellogg, Arizona State (Pitcher)
• April 2: Mason Katz, LSU (Hitter); Cole Irvin, Oregon (Pitcher)
• April 9: Ian Graham, UNC Asheville (Hitter); Aaron Blair, Marshall (Pitcher)
• April 16: Colin Moran, North Carolina (Hitter); Cale Elam, Wichita State (Pitcher)
• April 23: Colby Roberts, James Madison (Hitter); Harrison Musgrave, West Virginia (Pitcher)
• April 30: Trey Mancini, Notre Dame (Hitter); Matt Florer, Loyola Marymount (Pitcher)
• May 7: Mitchell Tolman, Oregon (Hitter); Aaron Nola, LSU (Pitcher)
• May 14: D.J. Stewart, Florida State (Hitter); Harrison Musgrave, West Virginia (Pitcher)
• May 21: Duncan McAlpine, Dallas Baptist (Hitter); Shane Carle, Long Beach State and Andrew Moore, Oregon State (Pitcher)