Marietta's Eisenberg named NCBWA NCAA Division III Pitcher of the Year
Junior earned the win in Pioneers' National Championship victory

June 5, 2006
MARIETTA, Ohio — The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) recently announced its 2006 NCAA Division III Baseball Awards and Marietta College junior pitcher Mike Eisenberg (Coral Gables, Fla./Bullis) was named the Pitcher of the Year.

Eisenberg, the Co-MVP of the World Series, adds this award to the collection that he has received this year. The lanky, hard-throwing right-hander was named first team All-OAC, first team All-Region, Mideast Region Pitcher of the Year, and a first team All-American. He was also named to the All-OAC Tournament, All-Mideast Region Tournament and World Series All-Tournament Team.

Eisenberg finished the season with a 13-2 record, which tied him for most wins in the country at the DIII level. On the year, he made 21 appearances, started 16 games and worked 115.0 innings. Eisenberg allowed just 28 runs (17 earned) on 70 hits, while walking 35 and striking out 138. The 138 strikeouts tied him with 2003 graduate Matt DeSalvo's 2000 mark for third all-time on MC's single-season list. Eisenberg concluded the season with a 1.33 earned run average and opponents batted just .172 off him.

Marietta College's baseball team, under the direction of 1993 graduate Brian Brewer, went 4-0 and won the program's fourth NCAA Division III National Championship after a 7-2 victory over Wheaton (Mass.) in the Championship Game at Fox Cities Stadium in Grande Chute, Wis.

The Etta Express, which won three national titles in the 1980s under the direction of the late Don Schaly, waited 20 years for the fourth title. Only Eastern Connecticut State has equaled Marietta's four crowns. The Pioneers also won the title in 1981, 1983 and 1986. It was the first time the Etta Express captured the nation's top prize away from the friendly confines of Marietta, Ohio.

Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters and publicists of the sport. For more information about the NCBWA, visit the association's official Web site, www.ncbwa.com.