Ball State University Athletics
Kyle Heyne Named To NCBWA Stopper Of The Year Watch List
February 06, 2007 | Baseball
Ball State junior closer Kyle Heyne has been named to the preseason watch list for the National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association Stopper of the Year Award, as announced Friday by the NCBWA. The award is given to the top relief pitcher in Division I baseball.
Heyne ranked second in the Mid-American Conference with 12 saves in 2006 and finished the season with a team-best 2.11 ERA. He led the Cardinals with 29 appearances and struck out 46 batters while walking only five in 42.2 innings of work.
In the first round of the 2006 NCAA Regional, Heyne pitched the ninth inning to earn the save in Ball State's 3-1 victory over No. 1 seed Kentucky.
He helped the Cardinals earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament with his performance a week earlier in the MAC Tournament. The MAC All-Tournament Team selection threw three scoreless innings out of the bullpen to earn the win againt Kent State in the semifinal and then threw a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save in a championship game rematch with the Golden Flashes.
A 2007 Ball State team captain, Heyne is one of four MAC pitchers on the watch list, joining Kent State's Ryan Davis, Northern Illinois' Matt German and Central Michigan's James Ricchio.
A total of 35 pitchers were named to the list. A mid-season release, including the national saves leaders, will be updated during the week of April 16. At the end the regular season, the Division I leader in saves and four other relief pitching standouts will be selected as the award's finalists. These finalists will be released on Wednesday, May 30, just prior to the beginning of NCAA regional play.
From the list of finalists, the NCBWA's All-America Committee will select a winner. The third annual winner will be announced on Wednesday, June 6, two days prior to the beginning of NCAA super regional action. Last year's winner was Don Czyz from Kansas. Texas' J. Brent Cox won the inaugural award in 2005.
In that 2005 season, Ball State closer Erik Morrison was one of five finalists for the award after saving a school record 15 games.
