March 14, 2011
WACO, Texas - Baylor junior right-handed pitcher Logan Verrett has been named Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week, as announced by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Monday afternoon.
Verrett earned the award after allowing only one hit in a complete-game shutout against Louisiana Tech on Friday night at Baylor Ballpark. He allowed an infield single leading off the game, then retired the next 20 batters in order before an error in the seventh inning.
Verrett also tied a Baylor Ballpark record with 14 strikeouts - 12 of which were swinging - including each of the last four batters of the game. He was efficient, needing just 110 pitches - 80 of which were strikes - and only going to a three-ball count twice in the game. His 14 strikeouts were the most by a Baylor pitcher since Jason Jennings struck out 14 at Kansas on April 2, 1999.
He faced just one batter over the minimum due to a two-out walk in the eighth inning. Louisiana Tech's only other baserunners were erased on a groundball double play and interference on an attempted steal.
The Bulldogs only reached second base one time in the game, after a walk and stolen base in the eighth inning. Louisiana Tech managed to hit the ball out of the infield four times against Verrett and all four were flyouts.
Verrett becomes the sixth Baylor student-athlete to be named a National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball. Previous winners include Jon Topolski (1998), Kyle Evans (2000), Jared Theodorakos (2002), Cory VanAllen (2004) and Raynor Campbell (2010).
Theodorakos was named after tossing a complete-game one-hitter at Southern California in 2002, the last time a Baylor pitcher allowed one hit or less in a 9-inning game before Verrett did so on Friday night.
Verrett has rebounded from losing his first start of the season to go 3-0 with a 1.25 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 21.2 innings over his last three outings. He's expected to start on the mound when the Bears open Big 12 Conference play against Texas Tech at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Baylor Ballpark.
Collegiate Baseball also listed Baylor in its top 30 poll for the first time this season, placing BU at No. 27. The Bears moved up to No. 14 in Baseball America's top 25.
The Bears resume their 14-game homestand at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday against Florida International. Freshman Trae Davis is set to make his first start for the Bears against FIU's Kyle Fitzpatrick. All tickets for the game are $3.
Baylor's Collegiate Baseball National Players of the Week
Jon Topolski, OF (3/23-3/29, 1998)
Kyle Evans, P (4/10-4/16, 2000)
Jared Theodorakos, P (2/11-2/17, 2002)
Cory VanAllen, P (2/8-2/15, 2004)
Raynor Campbell, 2B (3/1-3/7, 2010)
Logan Verrett, P (3/7-3/13, 2011)
