DALLAS (NCBWA) – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) released its National Player of the Week awards for the period ending April 8. Morehead State junior outfielder Connor Pauly was named National Hitter of the Week, while Washington State senior left-handed pitcher Scotty Sunitsch 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.

In four wins last week, Pauly hit .733 (11-for-15) with 10 runs scored, three doubles, a triple, two home runs, nine RBI, a 1.467 slugging percentage and .750 on-base percentage. The junior had hits in 11 of his 19 plate appearances, as he also drew three walks and was hit by a pitch and six of his 11 hits went for extra bases.

The Glenview, Ill., native opened the week by going 3-for-4 with a triple, home run and two RBI in a non-conference win over Marshall. In the first two games of the UT Martin series, Pauly was 7-for-7 with five runs scored and six RBI. For the week he also posted a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage. In Conference-only games this year, Pauly ranks third in the OVC in hitting (.432) and seventh in RBI (1.36/game).

Sunitsch no-hit the Ducks in Washington State's 7-0 road win in the series-finale. The Federal Way, Wash., native struck out a career high nine, walked two, hit two batters and needed just 95 pitches to record WSU's 25th no-hitter in program history and the first solo nine-inning no-hitter since Eric Wilkins no-hit Oregon State in 1976.

Last season, Sunitsch was part of a combined no-hitter over Stephen F. Austin, working the ninth-inning. There have been three other Cougar no-hitters since Wilkins did so in 1976 but all three were seven innings, coming in 1977, 1984 and 1985. Sunitsch enters the week leading the team with a 3-1 record along with 30 strikeouts in 41.2 innings.

In Sunday's ninth inning, Sunitsch received a big play from a veteran outfielder who had just entered the game. Oregon's first batter of the inning lined a ball into shallow left field that senior Derek Chapman charged and made a sliding catch for the first out. Chapman had entered the game in the top of the ninth for Justin Harrer who left the game during his ninth-inning at-bat after an awkward swing. Sunitsch struck out the next two hitters before he was mopped by his teammates.

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, 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.

2018 NCBWA Division I Players of the Week:
• Feb. 20: Jake Brodt, Santa Clara (Hitter); Nick Sandlin, Southern Miss (Pitcher)
• Feb. 27: Brett Kinneman, N.C. State (Hitter); Joe DeMers, Washington (Pitcher)
• March 6: Luke Heyer, Kentucky (Hitter); Payton Kinney, Omaha (Pitcher)
• March 13: Jacob Rhinesmith, Western Kentucky (Hitter); Casey Mize, Auburn (Pitcher)
• March 20: Joe Genord, USF (Hitter); Griffin Roberts, Wake Forest (Pitcher)
• March 27: Bren Spillane, Illinois (Hitter); Jake Lee, Oakland (Pitcher)
• April 3: Jon Littell, Oklahoma State (Hitter); Colton Eastman, Cal State Fullerton (Pitcher)
• April 10: Connor Pauly, Morehead State (Hitter); Scotty Sunitsch, Washington State (Pitcher)
• April 17: Ross Haffey, Miami, Ohio (Hitter); Noah Zavolas, Harvard (Pitcher)
• April 24: Josh Jung, Texas Tech and Steven Wells, Florida State (Hitter); Connor Van Hoose, Bucknell (Pitcher)
• May 1: Alex Holderbach, Eastern Kentucky (Hitter); Barrett Loseke, Arkansas (Pitcher)
• May 8: Adam Sasser, Georgia (Hitter); Haylen Green, TCU (Pitcher)
• May 15: Will Wilson, N.C. State (Hitter); Luke Heimlich, Oregon State (Pitcher)
• May 22: Will Holland, Auburn (Hitter); Sam Shutes, Toledo (Pitcher)

2018 NCBWA Division I Players of the Month:
• February: Brett Kinneman, N.C. State (Player); Brady Feigl, Ole Miss (Pitcher)
• March: Seth Beer, Clemson (Player); Casey Mize, Auburn (Pitcher)
• April: Alex Holderbach, Eastern Kentucky (Player); Connor Thomas, Georgia Tech (Pitcher)
• May: Cal Raleigh, Florida State (Player); Logan Gilbert, Stetson (Pitcher)