Ball State University Athletics
Heyne Named To NCBWA Stopper Of The Year Watch List
April 18, 2008 | Baseball
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Fifth-year senior closer Kyle Heyne of the Ball State baseball team has been named to the midseason watch list for the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award, as announced Thursday. The award is given annually to the top relief pitcher in Division I baseball.
For the third straight season, Heyne is anchoring the Ball State bullpen. The right-hander leads the Mid-American Conference with seven saves and has posted a 3-1 record in 17 appearances. He has logged a 1.16 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 23.1 innings of work.
Heyne is Ball State's all-time saves leader with 31 in his collegiate career. He also owns two of the top five single-season saves totals in school history, having recorded 14 saves as a sophomore in 2006 and 10 more as a junior in 2007.
Heyne was selected in the 2007 Major League Baseball draft by the Minnesota Twins but opted to return for his final season at Ball State. He is one of 45 players named to the watch list and the only one from the MAC. The fifth-year senior was also named to the preseason watch list for the award prior to the 2007 season.
At the conclusion of regular season competition, the NCAA Division I saves leader and four other relief pitching standouts will be selected as the finalists for the award and announced May 28 prior to the start of NCAA regional competition. The winner of the 2008 Stopper of the Year Award will be selected by the NCBWA's All-America Committee and announced Wednesday, June 4, two days before NCAA Super Regional play begins.
Heyne and the Cardinals currently sit atop the MAC West Division with a 21-11 overall record and a 7-2 mark in conference action. Ball State continues league play this weekend with a three-game series at Central Michigan.
