Shaffer Named NCBWA National Hitter of the Week

April 10, 2012

MORGANTOWN, WV – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA)¬ released its National Player of the Week awards for the period ending April 8, today. Clemson junior infielder Richie Shaffer was named National Hitter of the Week, while Memphis sophomore left-hander Sam Moll 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.

Shaffer had at least two hits in all five of Clemson’s games last week and went 12-for-21 (.571) with seven RBIs and three steals. The Charlotte, NC native also totaled one homer, one double, four runs, three walks, a .600 on-base percentage, and did not commit an error in 13 chances at third base to help the Tigers to four wins. In Clemson’s three-game sweep at Duke over the weekend, he was 7-for-13 (.538) with three RBIs and two steals. On the season, he is hitting .365 with seven homers, 12 doubles, one triple, 31 RBIs, 27 runs, 31 walks, a .493 on-base percentage, and five steals in 32 games (32 starts).

Moll tossed the first complete-game, one-hitter for a Memphis pitcher since 1994 and clinched the series at Marshall with a 7-0 shutout of the Thundering Herd. The 7-0 blanking marked the first shutout on the road for the Tigers since April 26, 2003 at Charlotte. He struck out nine, the most for him against a C-USA opponent, and just one shy of his career high of 10.

The sophomore southpaw took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and Marshall recorded its lone hit of the game with an infield single to shortstop. Moll extended his streak of consecutive shutout innings to 16 with the complete-game shutout. The Lakeland, TN native has allowed one earned run on 13 hits in his last four starts (30.2 innings), three against C-USA opponents.

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.