OFFICIAL USA SOUTH CONFERENCE RELEASE LINK
BREVARD, N.C. – Junior shortstop Jason Jucker and senior right-handed pitcher Ben Melton have claimed the final weekly award honors from the USA South of the 2021 season, as Jucker was selected as the conference's Player of the Week, while Melton earned Pitcher of the Week honors.
The selections come after the Tornados turned in an impressive 4-1 week, splitting a home doubleheader with Covenant College before an emphatic three-game sweep over visiting Huntingdon College to set Brevard in prime position to potentially clinch the program's first postseason appearance as a member of the USA South Conference.
The awards mark the fifth and sixth weekly honors garnered by BC baseball student-athletes over the course of the 2021 campaign. Trenten Anderson claimed a pair of Rookie Pitcher of the Week accolades earlier in the season, while Zach Allison was selected as the conference's Player of the Week on March 15. Senior right-handed pitcher Huntley Hacker earned Brevard's first DIII-era national accolade with a selection onto the D3baseball.com Team of the Week.
Jucker, a native of Altamonte Springs, Florida, went a combined 12-for-20 (.600) with a .609 on-base percentage and an .800 slugging percentage to go along with five runs scored, nine RBI, four doubles, two walks and one stolen base as the Tornados posted a 4-1 record last week against USA South opposition. In a doubleheader split with Covenant, Jucker was a combined 3-for-7 with two runs scored, one run batted in, one walk, and one stolen base. In a three-game sweep of Huntingdon, Jucker was a combined 9-for-13 with three runs scored, eight RBI, four doubles, and one walk.
All told, Jucker has maintained a .356 average in 26 games played, totaling 36 hits including six doubles with 19 RBI's and 15 runs scored. The junior captain has also stolen three bases and has totaled a .402 on-base percentage and a .416 slugging percentage.
Melton, a product of Valdese, North Carolina, earned two wins in two starts last week for the Tornados against USA South competition pitching a total of 11.1 innings with a 1.59 ERA, allowing two earned runs on seven hits with six walks and six strikeouts. In a 10-4 win over Covenant, Melton went five innings and allowed four runs, only one of which was earned, on four hits with four walks and two strikeouts. In an 11-2 victory over Huntingdon, Melton tossed six and one-third innings and allowed one run on three hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
The senior captain has accrued a 3-0 record in six starts this season, striking out 27 batters in 32.1 innings pitched while maintaining a career-low 3.06 ERA. Melton struck out a career-high eight batters on February 28 at Averett and dazzled in his Senior Day start on Saturday.
Jucker, Melton, and the rest of the Tornados will have an opportunity to advance to the USA South Conference postseason, as Brevard matches up with Piedmont College at Gil Coan Field on Wednesday, May 5 at 3 p.m. Currently, the Tornados sit in second position in the West Division with a 7-5 conference record, while Piedmont sits half a game behind with a 7-6 mark in conference. Both teams split head-to-head in a conference doubleheader on Monday, April 19.
Brevard College Tornados selected as USA South Athletes of the Week (2020-21 season)
Rebeccah Rojas, Women's Soccer, USA South Defensive Player of the Week (two-time)
Taylor Richardson, Women's Soccer, Rookie of the Week
Trenten Anderson, Baseball, Rookie Pitcher of the Week (two-time)
Eli Carr, Football, Offensive Rookie of the Week (two-time)
Vinicius Giannaccini, Men's Soccer, Player of the Week
Ethan McGee, Men's Tennis, Player of the Week
Ashley Royster, Women's Soccer, Player of the Week
Zach Allison, Baseball, Player of the Week
Ernest Smith II, Football, Defensive Rookie of the Week
Quentin Jackson, Football, Defensive Player of the Week
Jason Jucker, Baseball, Player of the Week
Ben Melton, Baseball, Pitcher of the Week
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-BC-