Missouri State University

Feb. 14, 2013

Golden Spikes Award

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Missouri State junior pitcher Nick Petree was one 50 collegiate players named Thursday to the 2013 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award (GSA) watch list. Sponsored by Major League Baseball, the Golden Spikes Award will be presented to the top amateur player in the nation for the 36th time in 2013.

Collegiate Baseball's 2012 Louisville Slugger National Player of the Year, Petree joins an elite group of some of the top Division I players in the country identified by USA Baseball. Including Petree, seven student-athletes who finished among the 30 semifinalists for the 2012 Golden Spikes Award are among those under consideration for this year's honor, including Mark Appel (RHP, Senior, Stanford), Kris Bryant (OF/3B/1B, Junior, San Diego), Marco Gonzales (LHP, Junior, Gonzaga), D.J. Peterson (3B/1B, Junior, New Mexico), Raph Rhymes (OF, Senior, Louisiana State) and Carlos Rodon (LHP, Sophomore, North Carolina State).

The "rolling" list features 50 of the nation's top amateur players, with the Golden Spikes Award trophy will be awarded live on the MLB Network on July 19. Following the release of a second, 60-player Watch List on May 2, USA Baseball officials will announce the 30 semifinalists for the 2013 Golden Spikes Award on May 28. The list of 30 will then be sent to a voting body consisting of past USA Baseball National Team coaches and press officers, members of the media that closely follow the amateur game, select professional baseball personnel and current USA Baseball staff, representing a group of more than 200 voters in total.

Fan voting will once again be a part of the Golden Spikes Award in 2013. Amateur baseball fans from across the country will be able to vote for their favorite semifinalist on GoldenSpikesAward.com, beginning May 28. As part of this selection process, all voters will be asked to choose three players from the list of 30 names. On June 4 USA Baseball will announce the three finalists, and voting will once again commence that same day.

Petree went 10-4 with a Division I-best 1.01 ERA and 114 strikeouts in 115.1 innings pitched in 2012 to lead a dominant Bears' pitching staff that led the nation in team ERA (2.57) and shutouts (11), while ranking third in Division I with a school-record 537 strikeouts on the season. The right-hander was a first-team All-America pick of the NCBWA, Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball and CollegeBaseballInsider.com.

The 2012 Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year, Petree turned in the nation's longest scoreless-inning streak in 2012, working a Missouri State-record 38.1 consecutive shutout frames from April 6-May 17, as well as 73.0 straight innings without giving up an earned run (March 2-May 17). Petree's 1.01 earned run average led Division I and he paced the MVC in victories after becoming just the seventh pitcher in school history to surpass the 100-strikeout plateau in a season, ranking 16th nationally and third on MSU's single-season strikeout list.

Coming off a 40-22 season and their eighth NCAA Regional appearance last spring, the Bears enter this weekend's season-opening CenturyLink Bobcat Invitational in San Marcos, Texas, ranked 31st in Collegiate Baseball's Division I poll and the MVC's preseason favorite for the second straight year.

Bears' season and single-game tickets for the 2013 campaign are on sale now through the MSU Athletics Box Office and may be obtained in person at the Chevy Pickup Window at JQH Arena, or by calling (417) 836-7678 or (417) 836-3302.

The complete 2013 preseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List is as follows:

Name, Position, Class, School, Conference
Mark Appel, RHP, Senior, Stanford, Pac-12
Aaron Blair, RHP, Junior, Marshall, C-USA
Kris Bryant, OF/3B/1B, Junior, San Diego, West Coast
Boomer Collins, OF, RS Senior, Dallas Baptist, WAC
Michael Conforto, OF, Sophomore, Oregon State, Pac-12
Austin Cousino, OF, Sophomore, Kentucky, SEC
Jonathon Crawford, RHP, Junior, Florida, SEC
Josh Deezse, RHP/DH, Junior, Ohio State, Big 10
Kent Emanuel, LHP, Junior, North Carolina, ACC
Phillip Ervin, OF, Junior, Samford, SoCon>
Buck Farmer, RHP, Senior, Georgia Tech, ACC
Johnny Field, OF/INF, Junior, Arizona, Pac-12
Adam Frazier, SS, Junior, Mississippi State, SEC
Scott Frazier, RHP, Junior, Pepperdine, West Coast
Mitchell Garver, C, Senior, New Mexico, Mountain West
Marco Gonzales, LHP/1B, Junior, Gonzaga, West Coast
Jonathan Gray, RHP, Junior, Oklahoma, Big 12
Conrad Gregor, 1B, Junior, Vanderbilt, SEC
Eric Jagielo, 3B/OF, Junior, Notre Dame, Big East
JaCoby Jones, 2B/OF, Junior, LSU, SEC
Aaron Judge, OF, Junior, Fresno State, Mountain West
Jared King, OF, Junior, Kansas State, Big 12
Andrew Knapp, C, Junior, California, Pac-12
Corey Knebel, RHP, Junior, Texas, Big 12
Corey Littrell, LHP, Junior, Kentucky, SEC
Michael Lorenzen, OF/RHP, Junior, Cal State Fullerton, Big West
Sean Manaea, LHP, Junior, Indiana State, Missouri Valley
Colin Moran, 3B, Junior, North Carolina, ACC
Aaron Nola, RHP, Sophomore, LSU, SEC
Michael O'Neill, OF, Junior, Michigan, Big 10
Dillon Overton, LHP, Junior, Oklahoma, Big 12
D.J. Peterson, 3B/1B, Junior, New Mexico, Mountain West
Nick Petree, RHP, RS Junior, Missouri State, Missouri Valley
Adam Plutko, RHP, Junior, UCLA, Pac-12
Brian Ragira, 1B, Junior, Stanford, Pac-12
Hunter Renfroe, OF, Junior, Mississippi State, SEC
Raph Rhymes, OF, Senior, LSU, SEC
George Roberts, RHP/INF, Senior, Kent State, Mid-American
Carlos Rodon, LHP, Sophomore, NC State, ACC
Jimmie Sherfy, RHP , Junior, Oregon, Pac-12
Ryne Stanek, RHP, Junior, Arkansas, SEC
Trea Turner, SS, Sophomore, NC State, ACC
Konner Wade, RHP, Junior, Arizona, Pac-12
Michael Wagner, RHP, Junior, San Diego, WCC
Bobby Wahl, RHP, Junior, Ole Miss, SEC
Ben Wetzler, LHP, Junior, Oregon State, Pac-12
Trevor Williams, RHP, Junior, Arizona State, Pac-12
Austin Wilson, OF, Junior, Stanford, Pac-12
Tom Windle, LHP, Junior, Minnesota, Big 10
Kevin Ziomek, LHP, Junior, Vanderbilt, SEC