Penrod Named To NCBWA Stopper Of The Year Award Midseason Watch List
DALLAS, Texas – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) announced the Midseason Watch List for the 20th annual Stopper of the Year award Wednesday afternoon (April 23). Of the 56 relief pitchers named to the list, Bowling Green's Connar Penrod was one of the players listed. For this award, players must be named to the midseason watch list to be eligible to become a finalist. The NCBWA will announce finalists on Wednesday, June 4 with the winner being named on Friday, June 13 at the 2025 College World Series.
The NCBWA introduced the Stopper of the Year award in the 2005 season to honor the nation's top relief pitcher. Each year, the NCBWA announces a preseason watch list and then updates the list in midseason. Before the NCAA Regionals, the association picks up to five finalists for the award. The regular-season national saves leader is automatically chosen as a finalist..
This season, Penrod has become one of the best closers in the nation as well as BGSU's program history. Penrod currently has 10 saves on the year, the first Falcon in program history with double-digit saves, breaking the program record for saves in a season. He is also one of just five pitchers in the nation with 10+ saves this year, joining Clemson's Lucas Mahlstedt (15), Alabama's Carson Ozmer (13), Sacramento State's Kade Brown (11) and New Mexico's Ty Cunningham (10). In addition to his save total, Penrod hasn't allowed a run in 14 of his 16 appearances this season, maintaining a 2.21 ERA over 20.1 innings pitched. As for career accolades, Penrod has worked his way up to fifth in program history for career saves with 11.
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The Falcons will be back home later this week, hosting Eastern Michigan in a three-game weekend series. BGSU and EMU will start the series on Friday (April 25) with a 3 p.m. start before 1 p.m. first pitches on both Saturday (April 26) and Sunday (April 27).
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