LSU Gold

Nola, Scivicque on Golden Spikes Award Watch List

by Bill Franques
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Nola, Scivicque on Golden Spikes Award Watch List

DURHAM, N.C. — USA Baseball released its 50-man midseason Golden Spikes Award watch list, bringing the organization one step closer to naming the top amateur baseball player in the country.

Two LSU players – junior pitcher Aaron Nola and junior catcher Kade Scivicque – appear on the 2014 watch list. Nola was a semifinalist for the 2013 Golden Spikes Award.

Nola is 6-1 this season, and he is No. 3 in the nation with 71 strikeouts and No. 5 in the nation with a 0.47 ERA. Scivicque is LSU’s leading hitter, batting .369 with four doubles, four homers and 23 RBI.

The watch list will continue to be a “rolling” list until May 27 — when the semifinalists for the award are announced — ensuring that athletes can play themselves into consideration for the award.  The Golden Spikes Award trophy will be awarded live in Los Angeles on July 17.

The Southeastern Conference led all conferences in watch list players, placing nine on the midseason update, while 17 different NCAA conferences had at least one athlete on the list. The Atlantic Coast Conference had six athletes on the list.

Cal State Fullerton, Florida State, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Oregon State, Pepperdine and Virginia each had two athletes on the midseason watch list. Vanderbilt junior right-handed pitcher, Tyler Beede, is featured on the 2014 Golden Spikes Award midseason watch list after being one of three finalist for the 2013 Golden Spikes Award.

USA Baseball officials will announce the 30-man watch list for the 2014 Golden Spikes Award on Thursday, May 8. USA Baseball will then release the semifinalists on Tuesday, May 27. The list of athletes will then be sent to a voting body consisting of Golden Spikes Award winners, past USA Baseball National Team coaches and press officers, members of media that closely follow the amateur game, select professional baseball personnel, and current USA Baseball staff, representing a group of more than 200 voters in total. 

Fan voting will once again be a part of the Golden Spikes Award in 2014.  Tuesday, May 27, marks the day when amateur baseball fans from across the country will be able to vote for their favorite semifinalist on GoldenSpikesAward.com.  As part of this selection process all voters will be asked to choose three players from the list of names.

Last year, University of San Diego infielder, Kris Bryant, took home the prestigious award, joining a group of recent winners that includes Mike Zunino (2012), Trevor Bauer (2011), Bryce Harper (2010), Stephen Strasburg (2009) and Buster Posey (2008).

LSU pitcher Ben McDonald won the Golden Spikes Award in 1989.

Other past winners of the Golden Spikes Award include Terry Francona (1980), Will Clark (1985), Robin Ventura (1988), Jason Varitek (1994), J.D. Drew (1997), Mark Prior (2001), Jered Weaver (2004), Tim Lincecum (2006) and David Price (2007).