LUBBOCK, Texas--Bakersfield's Jeff McKenzie (Sr., El Dorado Hills, Calif., San Joaquin Delta College) has advanced to the newest watch list for the Pitcher of the Year Award.
The award, sponsored by Diamond Sports, will be presented on June 29 as part of the College Baseball Hall of Fame's annual Night of Champions event in Lubbock.
Leading in the wins column are two pitchers from opposite sides of the country. McKenzie is 12-1 with a 1.76 ERA in 97 innings pitched. Vanderbilt's Tyler Beede, a right-hander, is 12-0 with a 1.73 ERA in 78 innings.
"All of these guys have put together really impressive numbers," said Raymond Richardson, Pitcher of the Year Award committee chair. "As the regular season winds down, they're making huge contributions to the success of their teams."
Vanderbilt is the only school with two representatives on the list in Beede and right-hander Brian Miller, who has a 5-0 record to go with his 13 saves. Four pitchers on the list have 100 or more strikeouts, led by Savannah State's Kyle McGowin, who has 111 in 96 1/3 innings pitched. He also has a 10-1 record and a 1.49 ERA.
"Vanderbilt has been a dominant program most of the season, and these two pitchers are part of that reason, but it's great to see a variety of schools and conferences represented on this list," Richardson said. "All of these men are proving that there is great baseball being played across the country."
For more information on the Pitcher of the Year Award of the College Baseball Hall of Fame's Night of Champions, visit www.collegebaseballhall.org.
