This is the 27th year of the Dick Howser Trophy presented by Easton Foundations. The finalists will be announced on Thursday, June 6. The 2013 award will be presented at TD Ameritrade Stadium in downtown Omaha, the home of the College World Series for the third year. The winner will be unveiled on Saturday, June 15 at 10 a.m. CT, the opening day of the 2013 CWS.
The candidates hail from 17 different conferences and 31 different schools. The Southeastern Conference leads the way with 10 semifinalists, followed by the Atlantic Coast Conference with six, Pac-12 five and the Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Colonial Athletic Association, Southern with two. Lorenzen is the only representative from the Big West.
Lorenzen has also been named to the Golden Spikes Midseason watch, and is one of 10 finalists for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award watch list. In addition, the native of Anaheim, Calif., has been named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Midseason watch list.
Cal State Fullerton's starting center fielder and closer, Lorenzen is 16-for-18 in save attempts this season, but in both blown save opportunites, he kept the Titans within reach to record the win.
In two years on the mound, Lorenzen has totaled 32 saves, a number that ties Scott Wright's (1981-84) mark of 32 for third all-time at Fullerton. In 18 appearances this season, Lorenzen has tossed 18 and 1/3 innings, striking out 13 and managing a 1.96 ERA while holding opposing batters to a .197 clip.
At the plate, Lorenzen is batting .328 with 37 runs scored (7th Big West), 61 hits (T-9th Big West), 10 doubles, three triples, a team-leading seven home runs (T-3rd Big West) and a team-best 43 RBIs (3rd Big West). Lorenzen has also totaled 16 multiple-hit games and nine multiple-RBI games. His 13-game hitting streak from March 15-April 2 was the longest for any Titan this season, as Fullerton finished 12-1 during that stretch while Lorenzen batted .469 with 19 RBIs, three doubles, three home runs and 13 runs scored.
The Dick Howser Trophy, given in memory of the former Florida State University All-America shortstop and major league player and manager, who died of brain cancer in 1987, is regarded by many as college baseball's most prestigious award. Criteria for consideration of the trophy include performance on the field, leadership, moral character and courage, qualities that were exemplified by Dick Howser's life.
The winner's name is inscribed on the permanent trophy, a bronze bust of Howser displayed at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg - home of the Tampa Bay Rays. Both the winner and his school receive a special trophy to keep.
NCBWA membership includes writers, broadcasters and publicists. Designed to promote and publicize college baseball, it is the sport's only college media-related organization, founded in 1962.
2013 DICK HOWSER TROPHY SEMIFINALISTS
Pos. Name, School
Mark Appel, SP, Stanford
Aaron Attaway, SS, Western Carolina
Nick Backlund, DH, Mercer
Michael Bass, 2B, UNC Wilmington
Tyler Beede, SP, Vanderbilt
Aaron Berg, RP, UCLA
Alex Bregman, SS, LSU
Kris Bryant, 3B, San Diego
Danny Collins, OF, Troy
L.B. Dantzler, 1B, South Carolina
Brandon Dixon, 3B, Arizona
Hunter Dozier, SS, Stephen F. Austin
Kent Emmanuel, SP, North Carolina
Zane Evans, C, Georgia Tech
Brent Graham, SS, Campbell
Jonathan Gray, SP, Oklahoma
C.K. Irby, Utility, Samford
Mason Katz, 1B, LSU
Ryan Kellogg, SP, Arizona State
Tony Kemp, 2B, Vanderbilt
Michael Lorenzen, Utility, Cal State Fullerton
L.J. Mazzilli, 2B, Connecticut
Kyle McGowin, SP, Savannah State
Brian Miller, RP, Vanderbilt
Colin Moran, 3B, North Carolina
Aaron Nola, SP, LSU
Matt Oberste, DH, Oklahoma
Daniel Palka, OF, Georgia Tech
Justin Parr, OF, Illinois
D.J. Peterson, 1B, New Mexico
Hunter Renfro, OF, Mississippi State
Tanner Rust, C, New Mexico State
Jimmie Sherfy, RP, Oregon
Kyle Schwarber, C, Indiana
Cody Stubbs, 1B, North Carolina
Stewart Turner, C, Ole Miss
Trea Turner, SS, NC State
Tyler Webb, RP, South Carolina
Jimmy Yezzo, 1B, Delaware
Ty Young, 3B, Louisville