Oregon State Shortstop Ryan Dunn, Virgina Ace Danny Hultzen Headline CB360 Week-8 Primetime Performers

April 12, 2011

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Oregon State junior shortstop Ryan Dunn (Bend, Ore.) and Virginia junior lefthander Danny Hultzen (Bethesda, Md,) have been tabbed for top honors among the CB360 week-8 Primetime Performers for Division I baseball (April 4-10). front-page photo courtesy of Oregon State

Virginia's Danny Hultzen

Oregon State's Ryan Dunn

Dunn is the Primetime Player of the Week and Hultzen the Primetime Pitcher for the week of April 4-10, as selected by CollegeBaseball360.com. Eight other players round out the week-8 Primetime Performers Weekly Honor Roll (listed below).

DUNN delivered consistent and clutch play in the field and while batting from the bottom of the lineup, as the Beavers (cb360 E19) posted an 11-1 midweek win over Portland and then became the first Pac-10 team since 1999 to sweep Arizona State (cb360 #5; 5-3, 7-6, 9-6). He hit 6-for-14 during the week while factoring into 10 of his team’s runs (6 RBI, 5 R, HR), with 12 total bases (HR, 3 2B).

Oregon State' Ryan Dunn played a key role from the bottom of the batting order, as the Beavers became the first team since 1999 to sweep a Pac-10 series from Arizona State.

Twice during the ASU series, Dunn put the Beavers up for good with timely doubles. His 2-out/2-run double pushed Oregon State to 7th-inning, 3-2 lead in the tense opener (the clutch hit sparked a 4-run bottom of the 7th for the home team). He added two hits, an RBI and run scored in the series-clinching second game – followed by a 2nd-inning home run and another 2-run double (in the 3rd) to transform a 5-4 deficit into a 6-5 lead in the series finale.

The 5-foot-10, 175-pounder is hitting .292 for the season, with 14 RBI.

HULTZEN added to his masterful season and career by winning the opener at Georgia Tech (cb360 #9), outdueling fellow top pitcher Mark Pope in the 6-2 opener. The 6-3, 200-pound lefthander allowed only one earned run (one unearned) while taking his strong outing into the 9th. He racked up 12 strikeouts while yielding a single walk and scattering seven hits in the pressure-packed showdown – versus a high-powered offense that boasted a .331 team batting average.

Virginia's Danny Hultzen struck out 10 and held Georgia Tech to one earned run, while working into the 9th inning of that marquee series opener.

Hultzen now shares the Virginia record for career wis (27) and owns 13 career games with double-digit strikeouts (the Cavaliers have won each of those games). His other career stats include 320 strikeouts (a UVa record and 15th in ACC history). His 90 Ks this season are 25 more than any other pitcher in the conference, with his other season stats including a 1.33 ERA, a lowly .181 opp. batting avg. and an eye-popping 9.0 k-to-walk ratio (90/10; 14.9 Ks per 9 IP).

The week-8 Primetime Performers feature two shortstops, a pair of first basemen, and two lefthanded pitchers, plus a catcher, third baseman, outfielder and RHP. The 10 honorees include six juniors, two sophomores, a senior and freshman – with three of them hailing from California hometowns, plus one each from the following home states: Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York and Oregon.

Primetime Performer Award Criteria (not based solely on raw stats, but rather …)

• Must have been playing for or against a CB360 top-50 team (in the Composite National Rankings) or performed a high level in games that could be key to a team’s conference/NCAA postseason qualification; made significant contribution to team’s postseason positioning (single-game wins, “quality” wins, series wins, road wins, etc.).
• Involved in clutch performances, such as late game-winning hits, noteworthy comebacks, game-changing plays, team leadership, key defensive efforts, etc.
• Performed at a top level against a team rated highly nationally (or within its conference), with bonus consideration given for key performances away from home field and vs. traditional rivals.
• Overcame adversity or extreme circumstances (for the team and/or individual).
• Any accomplishment that is rare, historic, record-setting, etc., on a national level.

CB360 PRIMETIME PERFORMERS WEEKLY HONOR ROLL #8
(week of April 4-10, 2011 … presented by CollegeBaseball360.com)

“It’s not so much what you do, as it is when you do it.”

*Ryan Dunn (Oregon State … SS … Jr. … Bend, OR … 5-10/175 … Bats: R … 8/9-hole … #38)

Scott Heylman (UC Davis…SS…Sr.. San Diego, CA.. 5-11/185…Bats: R…#2-hole…#7)

*Danny Hultzen (Virginia … LHP … Jr. … Bethesda, MD … 6-3/200 … #23)

Kyle Hunter (Kansas State … LHP … Jr. …Galesburg, IL … 6-2/205 … #32)
James McCann (Arkansas…C…Jr…Santa Barbara, CA…6-3/210…Bats: R…6/7-hole…#27)
Colin Moran (North Carolina … 3B … Fr. … Rye, NY … 6-3/180 … Bats: L … 5-hole …. #18)

Logan Pierce (Troy … 1B … So. … Troy, AL … 6-1/215 … Bats: L … 6/7-hole … #24)

Noe Ramirez (Cal State Fullerton … RHP … Jr. … East Los Angeles, CA … 6-3/180 … #24)

T.J. Rich (Memphis … 1B … Jr. … Marietta, GA … 6-2/195 … Bats: L … cleanup … #19)

Mike Yaztrzemski (Vanderbilt…CF/RF…So…Andover, MA…6-0/180…Bats: L…5-hole…#18)

* Dunn is the CB360 Primetime Player of the Week and Hultzen the Primetime Pitcher

Note: Rankings referenced below are the CB360 Composite National Rankings

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*Ryan Dunn (Oregon State … SS … Jr. … Bend, OR … 5-10/175 … Bats: R … 8-hole … #38) – see info. above

Scott Heylman (UC Davis … SS … Sr. … San Diego, CA)
5-11/185 … Bats: R … #2-hole … #7

Fueled the UC Davis during a four-game road streak that included impressive series win at #49 Long Beach State (8-1, 11-1, 11-3′; also 7-4 loss at Nevada) … hit .562 during the week (9-for-16) with seven RBI and 14 total bases (three doubles, plus a triple) … his six RBI in series opener at Long Beach were one shy of tying school record, with his totals including a single, triple and 2-run double in the 3rd inning that provided the eventual winning margin … had another strong effort in game-2, reaching base five times (4-for-5, BB) while scoring three times in the surprising blowout … drew another walk in the tight series finale … hit 2-for-3 in the midweek game at Nevada (with a double and sac.-bunt) … batting .349 for the season.

*Danny Hultzen (Virginia … LHP … Jr. … Bethesda, MD … 6-3/200 … #2) – see info. above

Kyle Hunter (Kansas State … LHP … Jr. …Galesburg, IL)
6-2/205 … #32

Led the Wildcats to their first shutout victory over Oklahoma (cb360 #11) in over 21 years, with that 2-0 series-opening win helping vault Kansas State to its first series win over the Sooners since 2001 … worked 7.2 scoreless innings while surrendering only four hits … stifled the top-hitting team in the Big 12 (.337 team batting average) … shut down a Sooners offense that entered the week ranked fifth nationally in batting average, sixth in slugging percentage and seventh in runs scored … faced only 27 batters (four over the min.), with three walks and a hit batter, plus a pair of strikeouts … has compiled a 2.61 season ERA, with 48 Ks in 48.1 innings.

James McCann (Arkansas … C … Jr. … Santa Barbara, CA)
6-3/210 … Bats: R … 6/7-hole … #27

Had several key offensive plays during team’s four-game week that included four tight victories: 6-5 vs. #30 Texas State and a sweep of SEC series vs. #16 LSU (2-0; 4-3; 5-4) … blasted dramatic game-ending grand slam in second game vs. LSU, as Razordbacks answered three runs in the top of the 9th with rally that clinched the series … also had another hit earlier in that key game … reached base twice (H, BB) and stole a base in midweek win over the Bobcats …. added a single, hit-by-pitch and another stolen bases in the low-scoring opener vs. LSU … had leadoff single in bottom of 6th and scored for 4-4 tie in series finale, with the Razorbacks winning an another 9th-inning rally.

Colin Moran (North Carolina … 3B … Fr. … Rye, NY)
6-3/180 … Bats: L … 5-hole …. #18

Continued his assault on ACC pitching while helping UNC post its first series win at Florida State since 1995 (3-5, 8-5, 7-6) … hit 7-for-13 in the FSU series (7-for-13), with five RBI, three runs scored and 11 total bases (home run, double) … his 2-run blast put UNC into the lead in the series-tying second game against the Seminoles … capped the week by going 3-for-4 in the series-deciding game that snapped FSU’s 25-game Sunday winning streak … also helped beat Winthrop in 12-6 midweek game … reached base nine times during the week, with a pair of walks to go along with the seven hits … currently tied for second in the nation with 47 RBI.

Logan Pierce (Troy … 1B … So. … Troy, AL)
6-1/215 … Bats: L … 6/7-hole … #24

Launched a pair of grand slams during the week while racking up 15 RBI, as Trojans had key statement week with 14-6 win over #38 Auburn and series win over Sunbelt Conference contender Florida International (4-0, 9-5, 4-12) … his stats for the week included batting 9-for-15 (.600) with a 1.133 slugging pct., four runs scored and one base-on-balls … opened his big week with four hits – including two doubles and a grand slam (9 total bases) – while totaling a career-high seven RBI in key win over the Tigers … started the FIU series with two more hits and a couple RBI … added a 3-hit game in the series-clinching victory, with his six RBI in that game including another grand slam that flipped a 5-3 deficit into a 7-5 lead.

Noe Ramirez (Cal State Fullerton … RHP … Jr. … East Los Angeles, CA)
6-3/180 … #24

Earned key series-tying victory versus Big West rival UC Irvine (cb360 #29), logging 7.2 strong innings (lone run allowed came in the 2nd) while striking out nine Anteaters … Fullerton went on to win game-3 and earn a leg up in the league standings … helped Titans recover after losing opener in a 15-3 blowout … scattered seven hits and issued only one walk … faced the minimum 14 batters through the first 4.2 innings … lowered his season ERA to 1.98, with a lofty 6.4 K-to-walk ratio (64/10).

T.J. Rich (Memphis … 1B … Jr. … Marietta, GA)
6-2/195 … Bats: L … cleanup … #19

JC transfer newcomer who is making a big impact for the Tigers, most recently in the past week during 9-2 win over #33 Mississippi and series win over #15 Southern Mississippi (6-5, 16-8, 5-8) … has jumpstarted the Memphis offense while hitting from middle of the order, with his week-8 production including a .529 batting avg. (9-for-17), eight RBI and a pair of home runs … his other stats for the week included five runs scored, three walks (12 total times on-base) and a timely sacrifice bunt … showed his offensive versatility in the opening win vs. Southern Mississippi, with five quality plate appearances included a 4-for-4 day, two RBI and the key sacrifice bunt in the 9th inning over that comeback victory … returned the next day to drive in six runs while smacking a pair of home runs in the series-clinching victory … added another hit and run scored in the series finale … also reached base on a walk in the midweek win over Ole Miss … batting .345 for the season, including .480 in Conference USA play.

Mike Yaztrzemski (Vanderbilt … CF/RF … So. … Andover, MA)
6-0/180 … Bats: L … 5-hole … #18

Compiled series of quality plate appearances during series sweep of SEC West-Division leader Alabama (cb360 #20; 11-3, 7-0, 11-6) … hit 6-for-10 during the series and factored into 11 of his teams runs (4 RBI, 7 R), also reaching base on a walk while adding key execution on a sacrifice bunt and sac-fly … opened series by batting 2-for-4 with pair of RBI, two runs scored and a double … drove in a run and scored twice (after a single and walk) in series-clincher … closed series with strong all-around game, batting 3-for-3 (RBI, 3 R) with a sac-bunt, sac-fly and stolen base … reached base three times and scored twice in 9-1 midweek win over Middle Tennessee (BB, 2 HBP).