Sportsman of the Week Ending 6/12/2022

What a weekend of college baseball action culminating in the College World Series field of eight worthy teams.  National seeds went by the wayside Super Regional after Super Regional as only two (Stanford and Texas A&M) made it through to Omaha.  One of the teams that spoiled the national seed party was the Texas Longhorns, who spoiled East Carolina's attempt at their first College World Series bid with a thrilling three game series win.  Led by the most prodigious home run hitter in the BBCOR (bat-ball coefficient restitution) era of college baseball history, Ivan Melendez.  The "Hispanic Titanic" hit his 31st and 32nd home runs of the season (in 65 games) passing legends like Kris Bryant and even pre BBCOR Mark McGwire.  The Longhorns started the season ranked Number 1 and got into brutal Big 12 conference play but emerged no worst for the wear and back in Omaha for the 38th appearance, the most all time.  Melendez is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 6/9/2019

Pitching a no-hitter is a frequent path to the Sportsman of the Week.  Striking out 19 batters in a game would similarly get you there.  Doing both?  Really strong chance.  Vanderbilt's Kumar Rocker pitched the game of his life, when his team really needed it to win a pivotal Game 2 of a 3 game set against the Duke Blue Devils.  In an elimination game, Rocker threw 131 pitches, 89 for strikes (57 in the strikouts) to send the series to the third game, which the top ranked Commodores also won.  It was Rocker's 10th win of the year.  He only walked 2 facing 2 more than the minimum in the first no-hitter in NCAA Super Regional history.  Rocker rocked the Blue Devils and duly earns the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!