C-USA Produces Two of Ten Semifinalists for Roger Clemens Award

Brian Bogusevic

Hurlers from the top four teams in the country highlight the list of 10 pitchers who have been named semifinalists for the second Roger Clemens Award. Six of the 10 will meet tonight in head-to-head conference showdowns, including C-USA’s two representatives, Lance Broadway of TCU and Brian Bogusevic of Tulane, who will square off at 6:30 p.m. CDT at Turchin Stadium in New Orleans.

The other eight pitchers on the list include lefthander Ricky Romero of defending National Champion and second-ranked Cal State Fullerton, righthander Dallas Buck from third ranked Oregon State and righthander Cesar Carillo, the top starter for fourth-ranked Miami. They join righthander Mike Pelfrey of Wichita State, who was also a semifinalist for the first Clemens Award, righthander Luke Hochevar of Tennessee, righthander Ian Kennedy of USC, lefthander Cesar Ramos of Long Beach State and righthander Max Scherzer of Missouri.

The 10 were selected in an initial round of voting by all Division I head baseball coaches, a selection of national college baseball media, the16 winners of the R. E. Bob Smith Award and the three finalists from the first Clemens Award. The second round of voting to select the three finalists will run from May 24-June 2, with the results announced on June 3. The winner of the second Roger Clemens Award, will be announced on Thursday, July 14 at the Marriott Westchase Hotel in Houston.

Broadway is tied for the national lead in wins with a school-record 12. He has also set a new TCU single-season record for strikeouts with 125, recording 10 or more in each of his last three starts. Broadway, who has three complete games and three shutouts, owns a league-low ERA of 1.94 and is allowing opponents to bat just 1.98 against him.

Bogusevic is leader of a strong Tulane pitching staff, posting a 10-1 record to go along with a team-best 2.60 ERA. He has 98 strikeouts in a team-high 97 innings pitched and opponents are hitting just .239 off the lefthander.

Created in 2004, The Roger Clemens Award honors the top pitcher in college baseball. The event is administered by the Greater Houston Baseball Association, who donated $80,000 to the designated beneficiaries (The Roger Clemens Foundation, The Karl Young Summer College Baseball League and Baseball USA) from the net proceeds from the first annual dinner. The GHBA is a non-profit 501.3 (C) organization dedicated to the growth of amateur baseball in the Houston area.

The Roger Clemens Award was named after future Hall of Famer Roger Clemens, who began his march to stardom while leading the University of Texas to the College World Series title in 1983. Entering the 2005 major league season, Clemens has won over 330 games, fanned over 4,000 hitters and won and seven Cy Young Awards, emblematic as the top pitcher in his league. The Roger Clemens Award is the only award of its kind, honoring the finest pitchers in college baseball.

Tickets for the 2005 Roger Clemens Award are now on sale. For more information, please call the Greater Houston Baseball Association at (713) 739-0505 or write to The Roger Clemens Award, 2550 S. Sam Houston Parkway West, Houston, TX 77047.