University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
David Berg Named Finalist for NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award
June 5, 2013
2013 Stopper of the Year Finalists NCAA Super Regional Central
Colorado Springs, Colo. - Sophomore reliever David Berg has been selected as one of five finalists for the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award, given out to the nation's top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball.
Berg, the 2013 Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year, has posted a record of 6-0 with 20 saves while leading the nation in ERA with a 0.81 mark. Berg's 20 saves are also a new UCLA single-season record and rank third in all of Division I baseball, three shy of tying the single-season NCAA Division I record. In addition, he is second in the country in WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) with a mark of 0.78 and has allowed the lowest opposing batting average (.190) in the conference.
The Covina, Calif. native has also given up fewest runs (6), walks (7) and hits (45) in the Pac-12, while appearing in the most games in the conference (44). At one point this season, he did not allow a run in 37 consecutive innings, which was the longest consecutive scoreless innings streak in the nation this season. In the postseason this year, Berg has recorded two saves while finishing all three of UCLA's games at the NCAA Los Angeles Regional. Finally, Berg was previously a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award, is currently a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and the National Pitcher of the Year Award, and last week was named a first-team All-American by Louisville Slugger/Collegiate Baseball.
More than 90 of the nation's top collegiate relief pitchers were included in the selection process for this year's NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award, beginning with initial preseason nominations by baseball contacts at NCAA Division I schools.
The NCBWA's All-America Committee will select the winner, with this year's recipient to be announced Saturday morning, June 15, at a news conference at TD Ameritrade Park at 10 a.m. CT.
UCLA opens the NCAA Super Regionals against Cal State Fullerton on Friday, June 7 at 4 p.m. down in Fullerton, Calif. The game will be televised live by ESPN2.