HOUSTON- VMI sophomores Michael Bowman and Kevin Crum have been named to the Roger Clemens Award Watch List, joining junior teammate Trey Barham as announced on Thursday by the Greater Houston Baseball Association. The Roger Clemens Award is given annually to the top pitcher in collegiate baseball.
Bowman (Richmond, Va./Deep Run) carries a 6-2 record in his sophomore season, pacing the team with a 2.77 ERA, 86 strikeouts, 78.0 innings, an opposing batting average of .223, all while allowing only one home run. The Keydets stand 9-4 in his 13 starts, while he has also combined on three shutouts this season. The righthander also ranks second in the Big South in ERA, strikeouts and opposing batting average.
Crum (Fairfax, Va./Bishop O'Connell) is tied for the most saves in the country with 14, having successfully converted 14 of his 16 save attempts this season. He continues to chase the Big South record of 16, set by Liberty's Josh Brey in 2000, while he has already established VMI's single-season and career marks this season. In Big South play this season, Crum holds a 2-0 record with two saves in six appearances. This makes the third watch list that Crum has been named to, joining the National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Assocation (NCBWA) Stopper of the Year Award and the Dick Howser Award.
Barham (Portsmouth, Va./Greenbrier Christian), who was added to the list upon earning Pitcher of the Week honors from the NCBWA on April 3, continues his impressive junior campaign, leading the team with eight wins in his 12 starts. The Keydets hold a 9-3 mark in games started by Barham, while he ranks second on the team with 64 strikeouts, 71.0 innings, and an ERA of 3.04. A Second Team All-Big South Conference selection a year ago, Barham has become the winningest pitcher in VMI history, as his 17-10 career mark places him one win above Ian Ostlund, who pitched from 1998-00. Barham is currently tied for the second-most wins in the Big South, while also ranking in the top ten in strikeouts, ERA, innings pitched and opposing batting average.
Previous winners of the Roger Clemens Award were Jered Weaver of Long Beach State (2004), Luke Hochevar of Tennessee (2005) and Andrew Miller of North Carolina (2006). The finalists for the 2007 Roger Clemens Award will be selected in voting by a national panel that includes: all Division 1 head baseball coaches, a selection of national media who cover collegiate baseball, the 16 winners of the R. E. "Bob" Smith Award, which was presented to the top player in the country in Houston in 1988-2003. In addition, the 10 previous finalists for the Clemens Award are also issued ballots. The 2007 award will be presented at a gala dinner in July.
The Roger Clemens Award was named after future Hall of Famer Roger Clemens, who began his march to stardom while leading the University of Texas to the College World Series title in 1983. As a major leaguer, Clemens has won 348 games (eighth best in history), fanned more than 4,600 hitters and won seven Cy Young Awards, emblematic as the top pitcher in his league. The Roger Clemens Award is the only award of its kind, honoring the finest pitchers in college baseball.
With their 31st win of the season last weekend against UNC Asheville, the Keydets (31-14) have broken the school record for wins in a season for the fourth time in five seasons. The club earned its first-ever national ranking this season, and has posted wins over then-#3 Virginia and then-#10 Auburn, as well as a pair of wins over both Florida and VCU. The team returns to action next Wednesday, as Virginia Tech visits Gray-Minor Stadium for a 7 p.m. start.
