Dzierwa Named NCBWA Dick Howser Trophy National Pitcher Of The Week

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State junior pitcher Joseph Dzierwa added to his award collection by being named National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Dick Howser Trophy National Pitcher of the Week, announced by the NCBWA.

The Spartan southpaw adds to his award collection that includes being tabbed Big Ten Conference Pitcher of the Week on Monday afternoon. He was also named the Just Baseball and On The Clock Pitcher of the Week, in addition to one of D1Baseball.com's Friday Standouts (5/2/25) and D1Baseball's Big Ten Loud! Performance of the Day (5/2/25). He was also tabbed to the Baseball America NCAA Ace Report (5/4/25) and 64Analytics Top 10 DI Pitchers of the Week (4/28-5/4).

Dzierwa's NCBWA Dick Howser Trophy National Pitcher of the Week Award is MSU's first national player of the week award since Bryan Broecker earned Collegiate Baseball's National Player of the Week on April 17, 2023.

Dzierwa, a native of Haskins, Ohio, spearheaded MSU's biggest upset since beating No. 1 Oregon State in 2014 with Friday night's takedown of the Ducks.

The junior hurler Dzierwa chalked up 11 strikeouts and stymied the Oregon bats to just three hits over the 9.0 innings pitched, and didn't allow a walk. Dzierwa's complete game is the first this season by a Spartan pitcher and first since former teammate Nick Powers' CG vs. Marshall, Feb. 24, 2024.

While the complete game outing is only a year old, the official complete game shutout performance by a Spartan pitcher is a little further back, as Cam Vieaux was the last MSU hurler with a complete game shutout on April 15, 2016 at Purdue. Mason Erla had a full 9.0 IP outing of shutout baseball on April 7, 2019, in the first-ever night game at McLane Stadium, but the game went 10 innings, and Erla was replaced in the 10th, after allowing just two hits and striking out six.

It was only the second time this season that Oregon has been shutout, falling 8-0 to Rutgers on March 22 at home. By holding the Ducks to three hits Friday night, it was their second-fewest hits since that same loss, that was done by four Rutgers pitchers, while Dzierwa single-handedly blanked the Ducks.

Dzierwa's 11 strikeouts Friday night was his fourth double-digit strikeout outing of the season, but first since Feb. 28, as he opened the season with three-straight 10+ K outings.

The 11 Ks give Dzierwa 86 for the season, moving within three Ks of MSU's top 10 single-season list, and five shy from his season total of 91 punchouts last season.

With the win, Dzierwa is now 7-2 on the season, and Friday was his 19th career win, moving up to tie for No. 9 on MSU's career wins list, tying former teammate Nick Powers (2021-24) with 19 wins.

Dzierwa now has 236 Ks for his career, solidifying his hold on the No. 4 spot on the Spartans' career strikeout list, and just seven away from the No. 3 spot, held by Mason Erla (2017-21) with 243 Ks.

This was Dzierwa's third B1G Pitcher of the Week Award this season, collecting the first two honors of the season in back-to-back weeks (Feb. 17 and 24), to become the first MSU player with back-to-back B1G weekly awards of any kind in program history. He is also the first Spartan player to earn any kind of B1G weekly honor three times in a season.

Dzierwa is the fifth MSU pitcher to collect at least three Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors in their career. He joins Bryan Gale with five from 2001-04, Kurt Wunderlich with three in 2010 and 11, along with Tony Bucciferro with three in 2011 and 2012, and Andrew Waszak with three in 2012 and 2013.

Overall, this is Dzierwa's fourth career B1G weekly honor, as he was tabbed B1G Freshman of the Week on April 10, 2023.

Michigan State baseball plays its last two midweek contests this week, after hosting its final non-conference contest at Jeff Ishbia Field at McLane Stadium on Tuesday, beating Eastern Michigan, 3-1.

MSU heads to Kalamazoo, Mich. on Wednesday, May 7 to play Western Michigan at 4 p.m. at WMU's Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field.

The Spartans then make the cross-country trek to Los Angeles, to play a B1G weekend series at No. 25 USC, Friday-Sunday, May 9-11.

MSU wraps up regular-season action against Minnesota in a three-game B1G series, Thursday-Saturday, May 15-17, in which will be MSU Senior Weekend Celebrations, presented by HAP.

The Spartans' schedule is subject to further change, fans can stay tuned to MSUSpartans.com and @MSUBaseball on Twitter for schedule updates, along with follow this weekend's action with "Watch Live," "Listen Live" and "Live Stats" links where available.

Michigan State baseball tickets are available online at msuspartans.evenue.net, by contacting the Spartan Ticket Office at 517-355-1610 or by email at tickets@msu.edu for questions or more information.

Dzierwa Named NCBWA Dick Howser Trophy National Pitcher Of The Week

Players Mentioned

Joseph Dzierwa

Nick Powers

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