MUNCIE, Ind. ? Ball State baseball sophomore Kolbrin Vitek (Bryan, Ohio/Bryan) has been named to the 2009 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award Watch List, The College Baseball Foundation announced. The Wallace Award is presented annually to the nation's top collegiate baseball player in conjunction with the College Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. The award is named after former Texas Tech star Brooks Wallace. Vitek is one of five players from the Mid-American Conference on the watch list.
“Kolbrin is coming off a solid freshmen season which earned him Freshman All-America honors,” head coach Greg Beals. “I am happy that he received this recognition. He will increase his role this year as he will play in the field as well as on the mound. This speaks volumes about his ability as a player and we are looking for big things for him this season.”
Vitek, a right-handed pitcher/designated hitter, made an impact on the Cardinals both on the mound and at the plate last season as a true freshman. He spent the entire season in the Cardinals' weekend rotation and served as Ball State's usual designated hitter in the games he did not pitch. He was named to Collegiate Baseball's Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American Team as a “multiple position athlete.”
As the Cardinals' Sunday starter for most of the season, Vitek posted a team-best 6-1 record with a 5.65 ERA. He led Ball State with 69 strikeouts while walking just 19, and he ranked second in the Mid-American Conference with 9.51 strikeouts per nine innings. Ball State won 11 of the 13 games he started.
In addition to his 13 starts on the mound, Vitek started 31 games as Ball State's designated hitter and three games as the Cardinals' first baseman. At the plate, he logged a .305 batting average with five home runs and 24 RBI. He also added four doubles and three triples.
Vitek and the Cardinals open the 2009 season February 20 when they begin a four-game series at Furman in Greenville, S.C.
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