LUBBOCK, Texas - Bradley junior RHP/DH Elliot Ashbeck (Marshfield, Wis./Marshfield H.S.) is one of 36 players being considered for the 2015 John Olerod Two-Way Player of the Year Award, according to a release of the award watch list Wednesday by the National College Baseball Hall of Fame.
The John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award is named for the former Washington State University star, who achieved success both at first base and as a left-handed pitcher during the late 1980s. He went on to enjoy a 17-year Major League Baseball career from 1989-2005 and was inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007. The award will be presented as part of the Hall of Fame's Night of Champions celebration June 28-29 in Lubbock.
Ashbeck and Oklahoma's Robert Tasin lead the list of watch list candidates with seven pitching wins. Bradley's Friday night starter on the mound, Ashbeck is 7-3 with a 3.55 earned run average and he has twice been named the Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week this season - Feb. 23 after starting Bradley's shutout sweep at McNeese State with 8.0 innings of scoreless work Feb. 20 and again on March 30 following his 5-hit shutout against Southern Illinois March 27 at Dozer Park.
When he is not pitching, Ashbeck has developed into Bradley's starting designated hitter. Although his split duties have limited him to 23 games as a hitter, Ashbeck leads the Braves with 26 runs batted in and he shares the team lead with nine doubles. The 6-foot-4 left-handed hitter is batting .284 with two home runs and he has driven in what proved to be the game-winning run five times this season.
The only MVC player on the Olerud Award watch list, Ashbeck is the second Bradley player named to a national award watch list this week: sophomore closer Matt Dennis was named to the 39-player midseason watch list for the Stopper of the Year Award Tuesday.
Aided by Ashbeck's two-way efforts, Bradley (27-10) has emerged as one of the surprise teams in college baseball this season. With 13 games remaining in the regular season, the Braves already have secured their first winning record since 2007 (32-21) and are 17 games better than .500 for the first time since ending the 1996 season with a 40-22 record. Currently sitting at No. 20 in the Ratings Percentage Index, Bradley is receiving votes in both the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Top 30 and the USA Today Coaches' Top 25 national polls.
Bradley will wrap up its season-long, 7-game home stand this weekend by hosting Valley rival Evansville in a 3-game series. Friday's series opener is scheduled for a 6 p.m. start at Dozer Park and will be followed by a 2 p.m. first pitch Saturday and the 1 p.m. finale Sunday.
