Golden Spikes Award Website
DURHAM, N.C. - Eastern Kentucky University junior Christian Friedrich has been named one of 50 semifinalists for the prestigious Golden Spikes Award, given annually to the top amateur baseball player in America. The southpaw from Evanston, Ill. was recently named the OVC Pitcher of the Year after leading the conference in ERA (1.43), strikeouts (108), and opponent batting average (.144). He is the only OVC student-athlete represented on the list.
The 2008 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award will be presented to the top player in college baseball nationally on July 16 at an award show via live telecast from New York at MLB Advanced Media Studios.
Past winners of the award include Terry Francona (1980), Will Clark (1985), Robin Ventura (1988), Jason Varitek (1994), J.D. Drew (1997), Mark Prior (2001), Jered Weaver (2004), and David Price (2007).
En route to being named first team All-OVC for the third straight year in 2008, Friedrich finished a thoroughly dominant junior season ranked seventh in nation in ERA, eighth in the nation in strikeouts per nine innings (12.09), and second in the nation in hits allowed per nine innings (4.03). Through 81.2 innings of work and 12 starts this season, Friedrich allowed only 40 hits. Only one of those hits was a home run.
Against Morehead State on March 29, Friedrich became EKU's all-time career strikeout leader in only his third season in Richmond. He has now recorded 305 strikeouts as a Colonel.
Friedrich was named the OVC Pitcher of the Week three times this season, and five times in his career. His first weekly honor came in early March after he held Bradley University scoreless while striking out nine batters. His second came a few weeks later when he took a no-hitter into the seventh against the University of Illinois, striking out 12 in that contest. His final Pitcher of the Week honor came on May 5, a few days after he nearly tossed a perfect game against Samford, allowing just one baserunner in his eight innings of work and at one point retiring 20 consecutive batters.
2008 Golden Spikes Award Semifinalists
Dustin Ackley, Sophomore, 1B, North Carolina
Yonder Alonso, Junior, 1B, Miami (Fla.)
Gordon Beckham, Junior, SS, Georgia
George Brown, Senior, LHP, St. John's
Anthony Capra, Junior, LHP, Wichita State
Alden Carrithers, Senior, 2B, UCLA
Sawyer Carroll, Senior, 1B, Kentucky
Dane Carter, Senior 3B, Texas A&M
Jason Castro, Junior, C, Stanford
Matt Clark, Junior, 1B, LSU
David Cooper, Junior, 1B, California
Collin Cowgill, Junior, OF, Kentucky
Aaron Crow, Junior, RHP, Missouri
Jordan Danks, Junior, OF, Texas
Ike Davis, Junior, 1B/LHP, Arizona State
Kentrail Davis, Freshman, OF, Tennessee
Chris Dominguez, Sophomore, 3B, Louisville
Johnny Dorn, Senior, RHP, Nebraska
Allan Dykstra, Junior, 1B, Wake Forest
Tim Fedroff, Sophomore, OF, North Carolina
Josh Fields, Senior, RHP/OF, Georgia
Ryan Flaherty, Junior, SS, Vanderbilt
Christian Friedrich, Junior, LHP, Eastern Kentucky
Conor Gillaspie, Junior, 3B, Wichita State
Scott Gorgen, Junior, RHP, UC-Irvine
Preston Guilmet, Sophomore, RHP, Arizona
Jeremy Hamilton, Junior, 1B, Wright State
Reese Havens, Junior, SS, South Carolina
Shooter Hunt, Junior, RHP, Tulane
Jake Jefferies, Junior, C, UC-Davis
Corey Kemp, Senior, C, East Carolina
Ryan Lavarnway, Junior, C, Yale
Andrew Liebel, Senior, RHP, Long Beach State
Brian Matusz, Junior, LHP, San Diego
Pat McAnaney, Senior, LHP, Virginia
Mike McKenna, Senior, OF, Florida Atlantic
Buster Posey, Junior, C, Florida State
Nate Recknagel, Senior, 1B, Michigan
Josh Romanski, Junior, LHP/OF, San Diego
David Sappelt, Junior, OF, Coastal Carolina
Josh Satin, Senior, 2B, California
Tanner Scheppers, Junior, RHP, Fresno State
Xavier Scruggs, Junior, 1B, UNLV
Chris Shehan, Junior, OF, Georgia Southern
Justin Smoak, Junior, 1B, South Carolina
Stephen Strasburg, Sophomore, RHP, San Diego State
Pat Venditte, Senior, LHP/RHP, Creighton
Brett Wallace, Junior, 3B, Arizona State
Jemile Weeks, Junior, 2B, Miami (Fla.)
Alex White, Sophomore, RHP, North Carolina