UC Irvine sophomore righthander Andrew Thurman (Orange, Calif.) – one of two pitchers from top Division I teams to throw a no-hitter during the past week – and Baylor senior catcher Josh Ludy (Portland, Ind.) have received top honors among the CB360 Primetime Performers for the third week of April in 2012, as presented by CollegeBaseball360.com. They are joined by 14 others in comprising the week-10 Primetime Performers Weekly Honor Roll, with Ludy and Thurman the top honorees as the respective CB360 Primetime Player of the Week and Primetime Pitcher of the Week. front-page photo courtesy of UC Irvine

(Note that this release includes headshots, action photos and player info. for all 16 honorees).

Previous CB360 Primetime Performers (2012):

Week-1 … Week-2 … Week-3 … Week-4 … Week-5 … Week-6 … Week-7 … Week-8 … Week-9

The Primetime Performer awards program – also utilized on affiliate sites CollegeSports360.com, CollegeSoccer360.com and CollegeFencing360.com – seeks to recognize players based on more than simple raw stats, instead taking into account quality of opponent, contribution to team success and various situational factors (such as clutch play, all-around performance, leadership, adversity overcome, etc.).

In addition to Thurman, the 16 Primetime honorees for week-10 include five other righthanded pitchers – McNeese State freshman Michael Clemens (Houston, Texas) … Kansas sophomore Frank Duncan (San Francisco, Calif.) … Manhattan freshman Michael Scarinci (Nanuey, N.Y.) … Rice sophomore John Simms (The Woodlands, Texas) … and South Florida 5th-year senior Derrick Stultz (Tampa, Fla.)– along with a pair of freshman LHPs from the Pacific-12 Conference: Oregon State’s Jace Fry (Beaverton, Ore.) and Oregon’s Jordan Spencer, who fashioned a midweek no-hitter vs. the University of Portland (Thurman’s no-hitter came at Big West foe Long Beach State).

The eight position player honorees cover virtually several spots on the field, with Ludy joined by a pair of first basemen – San Francisco senior Nik Balog (Saratoga, Calif) and Georgia Tech senior Jake Davies (McDonough, Ga.) – along with Mississippi junior second baseman Alex Yarbrough (Allen, Texas) … Stanford freshman third baseman Alex Blandino (Palo Alto, Calif.) … Florida State senior third baseman Sherman Johnson (Tampa, Fla.) … Wofford freshman leftfielder Matthew Pelt (Dunwoody, Ga.) … and Kentucky freshman centerfielder Austin Cousino (Dublin, Ohio).

Plenty of freshmen (7) are among the honorees – Blandino, Clemens, Cousino, Fry, Pelt, Scarinci and Spencer – along with the 5th-year senior Stultz, four seniors, one junior and three sophomores. Four hail from California hometowns, plus three from Texas, and two each from Florida, Georgia and Oregon (along with one each from Indiana, New York and Ohio).

THURMAN – a repeat honoree among the CB360 Primetime Performers – logged his no-hitter in the series opener at rival Long Beach State, providing a boost to Irvine’s NCAA Tournament resume (the win proved extra valuable, as Long Beach came back to win the series). After allowing the first LBSU batter to reach via a hit-by-pitch, Thurman retired 23 straight before allowing a 2-out walk in the 8th. He ultimately faced only two batters over the minimum (29) in a first career complete game that was extra special due to the 0 in the hit column. Neither of the Long Beach baserunners advanced past first base.

Over the course of the 110-pitch outing, Thurman totaled 19 of his 27 outs via either: strikeouts (5; 4 of them swinging), groundouts (8) or popups/foulouts/lineouts that were hit to the infield (6). His groundouts included three to third base, two to shortstop and one each to second base, first base and the mound. Other balls that stayed in the infield included three popups to the shortstop, a popup to the catcher, foulout to first base and a lineout to third. Seven of his eight flyouts went to center field (plus one to right).

Thurman – who has allowed only one hit over his past 17 innings – became the fifth UC Irvine pitcher ever to record a no-hitter.

LUDY hit .533 (8-for-15) during Baylor’s unbeaten week, highlighted by a sweep of the showdown series with cb360 #8 Texas A&M (5-3, 1-0, 7-5; gm-1 at A&M, gms 2 & 3 in Waco) – as the Bears improved to 18-0 in Big 12 play while extending their school-record unbeaten streak to 24 games. Prior to Baylor’s unprecedented start, no Big 12 team had done beter than 7-0 to open a Big 12 season.

The veteran catcher registered two hits in every game of the A&M series, with his most noteworthy moment coming on a 2-run home run in the 1st inning of the series finale. The Bears cleanup hitter amazingly fouled off 10 straight pitches before driving the 14th pitch of the at-bat over the fence in left-center.

Later in the series-sweeping win, Ludy’s 6th-inning double helped recharge a Baylor offense that had lost the lead and gone 14 straight batters without a man on-base (he came around to score the tying run). Earlier in the tense game-2, he provided two of his team’s six hits in that 1-0 thriller, after going 2-for-4 with a walk in the series opener.

As the somewhat unsung director of Baylor’s stellar pitching success, Ludy helped guide a Bears staff – led by top starters Josh Turley and Trent Blank, along with closer Max Garner (who saved all three wins vs. A&M) – that allowed only three earned runs in the entire “Battle of the Brazos” rivalry series. The Baylor pitchers walked only two batters over the 27 pressure-packed innings vs. the Aggies, with 18 strikeouts.

Ludy also helped beat Texas A&M Corpus Christi midweek but sat out the other win over the Islanders, marking only the third time he has not been the Baylor signalcaller all season. He is riding a career-best, 10-game hitting streak and is one of only six players ever to be named Big 12 Conference player of the week on consecutive weeks. One week earlier, Ludy blasted three home runs in the series finale at Kansas State (sparking a comeback and yielding him 11 RBI for the series, a Big 12 record).

The 16 week-10 Primetime Performer honorees are listed below – with headshots, action photos and player info. for all 16 honorees.

Primetime Performer Award Criteria (not based solely on raw stats, but rather …)

• Must have been playing for or against a CB360 top-50 team (in the Composite National Rankings or performed a high level in games that could be key to a team’s conference/NCAA postseason qualification; made significant contribution to team’s success and potential postseason positioning (single-game wins, “quality” wins, series wins, road wins, etc.).

• Involved in clutch performances, such as late game-winning hits, noteworthy comebacks, game-changing plays, team leadership, key defensive efforts, etc.

• Performed at a top level against a team rated highly nationally (or within its conference), with bonus consideration given for key performances away from home field and vs.

traditional rivals.

• Overcame adversity or extreme circumstances (for the team and/or individual).

• Any accomplishment that is rare, historic, record-setting, etc., on a national level.

CB360 PRIMETIME PERFORMERS WEEKLY HONOR ROLL (2012; #10)

(April 16-22, 2012 … presented by CollegeBaseball360.com)

“It’s not so much what you do, as it is when you do it.”

Nik Balog (San Francisco … 1B … Sr. … Saratoga, CA … cleanup/3-hole … bats: L … #45)

Alex Blandino (Stanford … 3B … Fr. … Palo Alto, CA … 8-hole/9-hole/cleanup … bats: R … #1)

Michael Clemens (McNeese State … RHP … Fr. … Houston, TX … #36)

Austin Cousino (Kentucky … CF … Fr. … Dublin, OH … leadoff … bats: L … #19)

Jake Davies (Georgia Tech … 1B … Sr. … McDonough, GA … cleanup … bats: L … #24)

Frank Duncan (Kansas … RHP … So. … San Francisco, CA … #19)

Jace Fry (Oregon State … LHP … Fr. … Beaverton, OR … #11)

Sherman Johnson (Florida State … 3B … Sr. … Tampa, FL … leadoff … bats: R … #32)

*Josh Ludy (Baylor … C … Sr. … Portland, IN … cleanup … bats: R … #30)

Matthew Pelt (Wofford … LF … Fr. … Dunwoody, GA … 6-hole … bats: R … #6)

Michael Scarinci (Manhattan … RHP … Fr. … Nanuey, NY … #29)

John Simms (Rice … RHP … So. … The Woodlands, TX … #13)

Jordan Spencer (Oregon … LHP … Fr. … Beaverton, OR … #23)

Derrick Stultz (South Florida … RHP … 5th-Yr.-Sr. … Tampa, FL … #19)

*Andrew Thurman (UC Irvine … RHP … So. … Orange, CA … #30)

Alex Yarbrough (Mississippi … 2B … Jr. … Allen, TX … 3-hole … bats: switch … #2)

* Ludy is the CB360 week-10 Primetime Player of the Week and Thurman the Primetime Pitcher of the Week

NIK BALOG

San Francisco … 1B … Sr.

Saratoga, CA … cleanup/3-hole … bats: L … #45

Key contributor and senior leader during pivotal sweep of cb360 #27 Gonzaga (4-3, 2-1, 7-4), as Dons jumped back into the WCC race … stroked 2-out single to right in tense gm-2 (vs. previously-unbeaten starter Marco Gonzales), bringing around key insurance run for eventual winning margin (2-1) … that clutch single was one of only four hits by the Dons in the game – but it made the difference while helping his younger brother Alex (8.1IP-R-6H-2BB-2K) pick up the win … earlier in the series opener, hit a leadoff single and scored to spark pair of run in bottom of the 6th and help San Francisco ace Kyle Zimmer overcome early run allowed (Zimmer is projected to be a high 1st-round MLB draft pick this year) … went on to lead the series-sweeping win by batting 4-for-5 with a pair of RBI, as the Dons chased Gonzaga’s quality #3 starter Andy Hunter en route to the comeback win … also hit 2-for-5 with pair of RBI in midweek game at Nevada … ended the series riding a 7-game hitting streak.

ALEX BLANDINO

Stanford … 3B … Fr. … Palo Alto, CA

8-hole/9-hole/cleanup … bats: R … #1

Provided huge production from bottom of the lineup, as Cardinal recovered from rare non-conference loss (3-2 vs. San Jose State) to post sweep of #25 Arizona State (17-5, 8-7, 9-5) – positioning Stanford within striking distance of the Pac-12 lead … homered on four of his first seven at-bats during the week (twice his season HR total entering the week), en route to batting .563 for the week (9-for-16), with 11 RBI … had been playing mostly as a DH this season (only 12 starters previously) before starting all week at third, where he played error-free through the four games … his 2-run blast accounted for team’s only runs in loss to San Jose State … added two more home runs while batting 3-for-4 (4RBI, 4 R) is series-opening rout vs. ASU … homered for third straight game in tight Saturday matchup, adding 2-out single for dramatic winning hit in the 9th … closed series with a double and an RBI 8th-inning single that was followed by a key stolen base and insurance run (ASU loaded the bases in the 9th) … batting .350 for the season, with team-best six home runs and 22 RBI.x

MICHAEL CLEMENS

McNeese State … RHP … Fr.

Houston, TX … #36

Rookie who rose to the occasion while facing Soutland Conference leader Sam Houston State (cb360 #24), going the distance for impressive win in 5-1 series finale … carried shutout into the 8th inning and ultimately faced only 31 batters (four over the minimum), after limiting Bearkats to three hits, a pair of walks and a hit-batter (with three strikeouts) … rolled up three double plays to erase three of those baseunners … leads team with 45 strikeouts.

AUSTIN COUSINO

Kentucky … CF … Fr.

Dublin, OH … leadoff … bats: L … #19

Extended his stellar rookie season by playing lead role in pair of wins over cb360 #4 LSU, as he and the #3 Wildcats bounced back from subpar opener to win that showdown series between the SEC divisional leaders (4-5, 8-1, 7-6) … factored into half of his team’s runs in the series-tying second game (3RBI-2R), after launching his 7th home run of the season and collecting his 16th double … in series finale, his RBI double capped 3-run bottom of the 6th – as Wildcats surged ahead 7-5 en route to the series-deciding win (Kentucky has won all six of its SEC series so far this season) … hit 3-for-5 in that third game (R) while stealing two bases … could achieve rare 10-HR, 10-SB feat this season (currently has 7 HR and 9 SB) … his week also included an earlier home run, in 7-0 win over Cincinnati (2-for-4, 2R) … making strong case for national freshman-of-the-year honors, leading ‘Cats from the leadoff spot with .351 season batting average, 44 runs scored and 17 doubles (his 34 RBI are 3rd-most on the team, as are the 7 HR – on team that has homered 47 times in 42 games).

JAKE DAVIES

Georgia Tech … 1B … Sr.

McDonough, GA … cleanup … bats: L … #24

Extended his hitting streak to a career-long 14 games while batting .533 (8-for-15) with 9 RBI during 3-1 week that included winning ACC series at cb360 #6 North Carolina (11-4, 6-12, 4-2) … hit 2-for-4 (2RBI-R, sac. bunt) in series opener but tweaked his quad muscle, before coming back to hit booming home runs in both games of Saturday doubleheader … launched 3-run blast to put his team on the board in gm-2, then delivered clutch 2-out, 2-run HR in 7th inning of gm-3 – sparking comeback from 2-0 deficit … scored in all four games during week (including 8-4 win over Georgia State), with no strikeouts … batting .360 for the season, with an ACC-leading 46 RBI.

FRANK DUNCAN

Kansas … RHP … So.

San Francisco, CA … #19

Tossed KU’s first complete game of the season to deliver 7-2 win over cb360 #23 Texas, in series opener … racked up a career-high 11 strikeouts in route to securing Jayhawks first win in Austin since 2008 … allowed a 1-out hit in the 1st inning before retiring 20 straight … faced only 32 batters in the 113-pitch outing, with one earned run allowed on three hits, no walks and a hit-batter … became first pitcher to beat Texas this season in a complete-game effort … ranks third among Big 12 pitchers in total strikeouts (69), second in innings (76.2) and fifth in low opponent batting average (.207).

JACE FRY

Oregon State … LHP … Fr.

Beaverton, OR … #11

Went the distance to post big-game shutout vs. cb360 #5 UCLA, 3-0, tying that Pac-12 series – with Oregon State also going on to win gm-3 … faced only 32 batters in that 107-pitch complete game, allowing six hits, two walks and a hit batter while striking out six (only one UCLA baserunner reached third) … his 2.23 season ERA included a 0.89 during the month of April (3 earned runs in 30.1 innings) … registered first solo shutout by an Oregon State pitcher since 2009.

SHERMAN JOHNSON

Florida State … 3B … Sr.

Tampa, FL … leadoff … bats: R … #32

Veteran table-setter who led Seminoles to 4-0 week that included sweep of cb360 #19 Miami (11-2, 6-1, 8-7 in 10) – as FSU improved to 19-2 in ACC play … helped secure program’s first sweep of rival Miami since 2002 … hit .400 in the series (6-for-15) while factoring into eight runs (4 RBI, 4 R) … doubled three times in series opener, one of them plating a pair of runs, for his first 3-hit game of the season … added a sacrifice-fly, single and stolen base in the gm-2 win … hit 2-for-6 (RBI, R) in series finale – highlighted by his game-ending single, as FSU completed comeback win (shortly before travel curfew would have resulted in the game being declared a tie) … played error-free during the week at the hot corner, in 13 fielding chances.

JOSH LUDY

Baylor … C … Sr.

Portland, IN … cleanup … bats: R … #30

Hit .533 (8-for-15) during Baylor’s unbeaten week, highlighted by a sweep of the showdown series with cb360 #8 Texas A&M (5-3, 1-0, 7-5; gm-1 at A&M, gms 2 & 3 in Waco) – as the Bears improved to 18-0 in Big 12 play while extending their school-record unbeaten streak to 24 games .. prior to Baylor’s unprecedented start, no Big 12 team had done beter than 7-0 to open a Big 12 season … had two hits in every game of the A&M series, with his most noteworthy moment coming on a 2-run home run in the 1st inning of the finale … fouled off 10 straight pitches before driving 14th pitch of the at-bat over fence in left-center … later in series-sweeping win, his 6th-inning double helped recharge a Baylor offense that had lost the lead and gone 14 straight batters without a man on-base (he came around to score the tying run … earlier in tense gm-2, provided two of his team’s six hits in 1-0 thriller, after going 2-for-4 with a walk in the series opener … somewhat unsung director of Baylor’s stellar pitching success, helping guide a Bears staff – led by top starters Josh Turley and Trent Blank, along with closer Max Garner (who saved all three wins vs. A&M) – that allowed only three earned runs in the entire “Battle of the Brazos” rivalry series … the Baylor pitchers walked only two batters over the 27 pressure-packed innings vs. the Aggies, with 18 Ks …also helped beat Texas A&M Corpus Christi midweek but sat out the other win over the Islanders, marking only the third time he has not been the Baylor signalcaller all season … riding career-best, 10-game hitting streak and is one of only six players ever to be named Big 12 Conference player of the week on consecutive weeks … one week earlier, he blasted three home runs in series finale at Kansas State (sparking a comeback and yielding him 11 RBI for the series, a Big 12 record).

MATTHEW PELT

Wofford … LF … Fr.

Dunwoody, GA … 6-hole … bats: R … #6

Hit at a .500 clip (6-for-12; 4RBI-4R) as Wofford won series from Elon (cb360 #45) for first time since 2007 (11-5, 3-13, 2-0) … hit first home run of the season in series-opening win, factoring into four of his team’s runs (2RBI-3R, 2-for-4) … left the yard again in gm-2 and closed series by going 2-for-4 in tense 2-0 finale.

MICHAEL SCARINCI

Manhattan … RHP … Fr.

Nanuet, NY … #29

Logged clutch 2-hit shutout (7-0) in first game of Saturday doubleheader vs. Metro Atlantic (MAAC) favorite Canisius, clinching series for the Jaspers (who also won 3-2 on Friday) … the pair of Manhattan wins marked only the second time in the past three seasons that the Griffins have lost a MAAC series on their home field … carried a perfect game into the 6th inning of that 7-inn. DH opener … both hits he allowed were of the infield variety – but he still ultimately faced the minimum 21 batters, thanks to a pair of double plays (part of his 15 groundball outs, to go along with four strikeouts and no walks) … allowed only one ball out of the infield the entire game (a 3rd-inning flyout to right), with his other out coming on a foulout to the second baseman … did not allow any runners into scoring position … helped lift Manhattan past Canisius into 1st place in the MAAC (10-5), with a current 15-3 streak overall for the Jaspers.

JOHN SIMMS

Rice … RHP … So.

The Woodlands, TX … #13

Answered the early bullpen call and showed his versatility by going deep into the game, logging six shutout innings that set the stage for Rice’s late rally in 5-4 win at cb360 #8 Texas A&M … faced only 21 A&M batters, allowing three hits while totaling 17 of his 21 outs via Ks (8), groundballs (8) or infield popups (1) … took the mound in 1st inning of that game with the Aggies already up 3-0, two runners on base and no outs – responding with a groundout and two strikeouts (followed by no runs allowed in the 2nd-6th innings, followed by three more shutout innings from his fellow relievers) … his busy week included making three appearances for 8.1 shutout innings, with only four hits allowed (all singles; .143 opp. battting avg.) and no walks (plus the 8 Ks) … pitched twice in key series vs. CUSA contender East Carolina (cb360 329), as Owls won 2-of-3 and finished weekend one game back of UCF atop the league standings … has pitched out of the bullpen this season but made some starts as a freshman in 2011 … also had a strong outing vs. A&M in 2011 (7.2 shutout innings, career-best 11 Ks).

JORDAN SPENCER

Oregon … LHP/IF … Fr.

Beaverton, OR … #23

Reserve infielder and relief pitcher who was pressed into spot start due to injury issues in the Oregon pitching staff … had logged only six appearances all season (three starts, 13 innings) but performed like a veteran vs. the University of Portland (at minor-league Volcanoes Stadium, in Keizer, Ore.) – fashioning a no-hitter while facing only 29 batters (two over the minimum) in that 3-0 win … did not walk a batter but did hit one with a pitch (in the 5th), with the only other baserunner reaching on an error in the 7th … had a season-high five strikeouts in the 114-pitch outing … 18 of his 27 outs came via Ks, groundouts (7) or infield popups/foulouts (6) … has been used sparingly as a position player this season (15 at-bats). 7/6

DERRICK STULTZ

South Florida … RHP … 5th-Yr.-Sr.

Tampa, FL … #19

Delivered in virtual must-win situation, limiting cb360 #32 Louisville to one run over eight strong innings – as Bulls averted sweep in 5-1 lead to stay atop the BIG EAST standings (11-4, one game ahead of the Cardinals) … scattered six hits and a pair of walks over the 104-pitch outing, with a pair of Ks … missed all of 2011 season due to a shoulder injury but has returned to go 6-1 so far this season, with a 3.72 ERA … Bulls coach Lelo Prado labeled the win over Louisville as possibly the best outing of Stultz’s career.

ANDREW THURMAN

UC Irvine … RHP … So.

Orange, CA … #30

Repeat honoree among the CB360 Primetime Performers, after delivering no-hitter in series opener at rival Long Beach State … provided much-meeded boost to Irvine’s NCAA Tournament resume (the win proved extra valuable, as Long Beach came back to win the series) … after allowing first LBSU batter to reach via a hit-by-pitch, retired 23 straight before allowing a 2-out walk in the 8th … ultimately faced only two batters over the minimum (29) in a first career complete game that was extra special due to the 0 in the hit column … neither of the Long Beach baserunners advanced past first base … over the course of the 110-pitch outing, totaled 19 of his 27 outs via either: strikeouts (5; 4 of them swinging), groundouts (8) or popups/foulouts/lineouts that were hit to the infield (6) … his groundouts included three to third base, two to shortstop and one each to second base, first base and the mound … other balls that stayed in the infield included three popups to the shortstop, a popup to the catcher, foulout to first base and a lineout to third … seven of his eight flyouts went to center field (plus one to right) … has allowed only one hit over his past 17 innings … fifth UC Irvine pitcher ever to record a no-hitter.

ALEX YARBROUGH

Mississippi … 2B … Jr.

Allen, TX … 3-hole … bats: switch … #2

Hit at a .529 clip during big week that included 6-3 midweek rivalry win over cb360 #49 Mississippi State (in Pearl, Miss.), followed by SEC series win over #14 Arkansas (8-1, 1-0, 3-11) … hit safely in each game during the weel, extending his hit streak to 19 games (6th-longest in Ole Miss history) … had a double and run scored in annual Governor’s Cup showdown vs. Mississippi State … came to play while facing SEC’s top pitching staff in Arkansas series, batting .615 (8-for-13) with 4 RBI and a run scored … led series-opening win with 4-for-5 day (3RBI-R, 3 doubles) and then delivered clutch 2-out RBI single in 6th inning of gm-2 (held up as only run in that tense battle) … closed week by hitting 3-for-4 in series finale (his 22nd multiple-hit game of the season) … player error-free at second base, in 16 fielding chances.

______________________________________________

Action photos of Primetime honorees included below (and above) – courtesy of the respective schools; note that action photo of Manhattan’s Scarinci not currently available.