Somers on Stopper of the Year watch list

EUGENE, Ore. – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association named Oregon closer Kolby Somers to the midseason Stopper of the Year watch list this week.
 
Somers, a junior from Hillsboro, Ore., is 1-0 with a 1.54 ERA with seven saves in 11 appearances this season with 15 strikeouts in 11.2 inning pitched. The Ducks' lefty has not allowed a run in 10 of his 11 outings in 2021, with both of his runs allowed coming in an 18-13 win at Arizona.
 
Somers, who is one of 65 relief pitchers on the list, picked up a pair of saves against nationally-ranked UC Santa Barbara in early March, before adding a save against Arizona State for his third save in as many games. He added saves against New Mexico State and Oregon State in back-to-back outings, before picking up two more saves in back-to-back appearances against USC and UCLA. Somers notched a win in his last trip to the mound, a 3-2 victory over UCLA to clinch the series against the Bruins.
 
Two former Ducks have been finalists for the Stopper of the Year Award. Jimmie Sherfy was a finalist in both 2012 and 2013, while Kenyon Yovan was a finalist in 2017. Former Ducks Drew Gagnier (2010), Jake Reed (2014), Garrett Cleavinger (2014), Stephen Nogosek (2014) and Ryne Nelson (2019) have all been on the awards watch list since baseball returned to Oregon.