SAN ANGELO – Steve Naemark has been named a Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball after establishing a new Angelo State record with 15 strikeouts in a 2-1 win over Regis last Saturday.  

Naemark, who threw 77 of his 109 pitches for strikes, held the Rangers to three hits and a .130 batting average in his second win of the season and now has a 1.12 ERA and 38 strikeouts through 24 innings pitched this season. Naemark (2-0) has 27 strikeouts in his last two starts for the Rams and has allowed only 13 hits and three walks this season. A junior left-hander from Arizona, he has also limited the opposition to only three earned runs.

"I really didn't feel like my off-speed was on today, but I felt in control of my fastball and had a lot of confidence out there," said Naemark after the 15-strikeout performance. "I went out and worked with what I had and made sure to throw a lot of strikes. The strikeouts are just happening for me right now. I considered myself a contact-pitcher when I got here, but I'm having a lot of fun with it right now."

Naemark is the only NCAA Division II player to earn this week's national award which includes Preston Morrison (Texas Christian), Luke Gillingham (Navy), Kolbey Carpenter (Oklahoma) and Kyle Friedrichs (Long Beach State). In his first season at ASU after transferring from Cochise College, Naemark was also named the Lone Star Conference and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association South Central Pitcher of the Week after a 12-strikeout performance last two weeks ago against Lubbock Christian.

"I think this award speaks to the caliber that Steve is pitching at right now," ASU head coach Kevin Brooks. "Regardless of division, I believe that he and our pitching staff are one of the best ones out there. He's changed the way he attacks guys and has become a pitcher who can put up a lot of strikeouts now. He has increased his velocity since the fall and has added power to his ability to get guys out."

His 15 strikeouts against Regis followed a 12-strikeout performance against Lubbock Christian and an eight-strikeout outing against Texas A&M International. Naemark had tied the ASU single-game record with his 12 strikeouts against LCU which matched Rick Reyna who struck out 12 Ouachita Baptist hitters in 2012. He was only four strikeouts shy of Texas A&M-Kingsville's Garrett Murdy for the LSC record of 19 strikeouts in a game. Murdy accomplished the 19 strikeouts against Tarleton State in 2004. The Rams as a pitching staff recorded 42 strikeouts last weekend against the Rangers with Naemark's 15, Bryce Zak having 11 strikeouts and Blake Bass recording another seven in his third straight win.

Naemark and the Rams (10-1) will open Lone Star Conference play this weekend with a four-game series against Cameron at Foster Field. The series is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. on Friday with a single game before a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday and the series finale at 1 p.m. on Sunday. Naemark is scheduled to make his fifth start of the season in the series-opener.
 
NATIONAL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
RHP Preston Morrison, Texas Christian: Morrison tossed an 88-pitch, 9-inning complete game to beat Arizona St. 3-0. After struggling in the first inning as he faced five batters and tossed 15 pitches, he only allowed two hits over the final eight innings and threw just 73 pitches. Morrison retired 23 of the final 25 batters he faced and allowed the Sun Devils only four base runners in the contest as he struck out 5.

LHP Steve Naemark, Angelo State: Naemark recorded a school record 15 strikeouts over seven innings during a 2-1 win over Regis. He only allowed three hits.

LHP Luke Gillingham, Navy: Gillingham struck out 14 Maryland Eastern Shore batters over seven innings and only allowed one hit in a no decision. He struck out two Hawks in every inning and left the game with the score 0-0. Navy later lost, 3-0 in 10 innings.

INF/OF Kolbey Carpenter, Oklahoma: Carpenter belted 3 home runs and drove in 9 runs as he went 8-for-17 over 5 games last week with a slugging percentage of 1.176. He also had a double and a triple.

RHP Kyle Friedrichs, Long Beach St.: Friedrichs had a career-high 12 strikeouts over 7 innings during a 6-2 win over Utah Valley. After a shaky first inning, he retired the next 10 batters in a row and struck out eight.