April 26, 2006

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest sophomore closer Ben Hunter was added to the mid-season watch list for both the NCBWA Stopper of the Year and Clemens Award. The NCBWA award is given to the nation's top closer, while the Clemens Award is given to the nation's top collegiate pitcher.

Hunter, a sophomore from Cincinnati, Ohio, leads the ACC and ranks third in the NCAA with 12 saves. The right-handed hurler is a perfect 12-for-12 in save opportunities. Hunter's 12 saves are the most for a Wake Forest pitcher since former All-American and second-round draft pick Dave Bush had 13 in 2002 and are tied for the fourth-most in single-season Demon Deacon history.

Hunter is 1-1 with a 1.12 ERA in 26 appearances out of the Wake Forest bullpen. He has allowed just 23 hits in 40.0 innings of work. Hunter has struck out a team-high 51 and walked 10. Hunter's opponents are batting just .165 against him, including .151 in ACC action. He opened the season with 26.2 consecutive scoreless innings and did not allow an earned run in ACC action until April 14 (ending a scoreless streak of 15.2 innings in conference games). Hunter has registered eight saves in the Demon Deacons' 14 ACC victories.

At the end the regular season, the Division I leader in saves and four other relief pitching standouts will be selected as the Stopper of the Year finalists. These finalists will be released on Wednesday, May 31, just prior to the beginning of NCAA regional play.

From the list of finalists, the NCBWA's All-America Committee will select a winner on Wednesday, June 7, two days prior to the beginning of NCAA Super Regional action.

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 professional, Clemens has won 341 games (9th best in history), fanned 4,502 hitters and won and 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.

The third Clemens Award will be presented to the nation's top college pitcher at the conclusion of a gala dinner in Houston in July. All Division I head baseball coaches will take part in the voting for the honor, in addition to a selected panel of national media and all past winners of the Rotary Smith Award, which was retired after the 2003 dinner by the committee that is sponsoring the Clemens Award.

The event is administered by the Greater Houston Baseball Association, who has donated $200,000 to the designated beneficiaries (The Roger Clemens Foundation, The Karl Young Summer College Baseball League and Baseball USA) from the net proceeds from the first two dinners. The GHBA is a non-profit organization dedicated to the growth of amateur baseball in the Houston area.

-- WakeForestSports.com --