Three Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League players have been named semifinalists for the 2013 Gregg Olson Award. The award, presented by Toolshed Sports, is given to the “Breakout Player of the Year.” Northern Illinois University junior Eli Anderson (Adirondack 2013), East Tennessee State University senior Kerry Doane (Amsterdam 2012) and Kansas State University sophomore Austin Fisher (Glens Falls 2013) are among 46 semifinalists that have been announced. The full list of semifinalists can be found here.
The Gregg Olson Award is named after former Auburn University pitcher Gregg Olson who became one of the top collegiate players in the nation after an initial season filled with only mixed success. Olson went on to become a two-time All-American, first round draft pick, American League Rookie of the Year and a Major League Baseball all-star.
Finalists for the 2013 Gregg Olson Award will be announced on Monday, June 3. The winner will be revealed during the NCAA Division I College World Series in Omaha, Neb., which is scheduled to be held from June 15 through June 25/26.
Eli Anderson (Adirondack 2013) was a first team All-Mid-American Conference selection as a starting pitcher for the MAC West Division regular season champion Northern Illinois University Huskies. Anderson, a junior, accrued a 9.53 earned run average as a freshman and then logged a 6.79 ERA as a sophomore. This spring, Anderson led the Huskies in starts (15), wins (nine), complete games (six), innings pitched (115.1), earned run average (2.18), and strikeouts (76). The Glenview, Ill., native went 9-4 and set career highs in nearly every pitching category. Anderson finished the season tied for eighth nationally in complete games. Against MAC opponents, the junior was nearly unbeatable with an 8-1 conference record, 1.17 ERA, 54 strikeouts in 77.0 innings pitched and six complete games. Between March 23 and May 10, Anderson won eight-straight starts and threw five nine-inning complete games.
Kerry Doane (Amsterdam 2012), a senior starting pitcher at East Tennessee State University, was named the Pitcher of the Year by the Atlantic Sun Conference. The first team All-Atlantic Sun hurler was a utility player for the Bucs as a junior and fashioned out a 4.34 earned run average as a part-time starter. This spring, Doane paced the Bucs to the Atlantic Sun tournament championship. Heading into the NCAA tournament, he leads all NCAA Division I pitchers with 12 complete games and 140.0 innings pitched. The senior is tied for first nationally in shutouts (four) and tied for second in victories (13). Overall, Doane stands 13-1 with a 1.99 ERA over 19 appearances. He has struck out 74, walked 20 and held opponents to a .232 batting average. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native was the Most Valuable Player of the Atlantic Sun tournament. He fired a complete game four-hitter in the A-Sun championship game against Kennesaw State and finished the tournament with 18.0 innings pitched and a 1.50 earned run average. With a complete game effort in the A-Sun championship contest, Doane broke ETSU’s single-season record for complete games.
Austin Fisher (Glens Falls 2013) is the starting shortstop for the Big XII regular season champion Kansas State Wildcats. The sophomore was named first team All-Big XII after helping the Wildcats win their first regular season league championship since 1933. Fisher is in his first season as a starter after playing a back-up role during his freshman campaign. Heading into the NCAA tournament, Fisher is one of K-State’s top offensive weapons. He leads the Big XII regular season champions in doubles (18) and is tied for the team lead in batting average (.356). Fisher stands among K-State’s top five in hits (68), runs batted in (34), hit-by-pitch (10), on-base percentage (.429) and triples (three). Defensively, he is second among all fielders with 154 assists. Fisher is part of a K-State middle infield that includes 2012 PGCBL Player of the Year Ross Kivett (Glens Falls 2012). Fisher is also a semifinalist for the 2013 Brooks Wallace Shortstop of the Year Award.
