IRVINE, Calif. – This week’s PacWest Baseball Players of the Week are Azusa Pacific’s Jordan Brower, Academy of Art’s Nate Gercken and Dixie State’s Tanner Morache. The awards are based on games played Feb. 16-22.
 
Player of the Week – Jordan Brower (Azusa Pacific)
OF, Sr., Newbury Park, Calif./Newbury Park
 
Brower led the Cougars’ offensive onslaught in the three-game series with Montana State-Billings. He batted .471 (8-17) with four doubles, nine RBI and five runs scored as the Cougars scored 51 runs in the series. He was 4-for-7 and drove in five of the team’s 25 runs in the first game. He is second in the PacWest with 13 RBI, right behind teammate Daniel Martin (23).
 
Pitcher of the Week – Nate Gercken (Academy of Art)
RHP, Sr.-RS, Pinole, Calif./Pinole Valley
 
Gercken earned his second-consecutive seven-inning complete game victory in grand fashion against Northwest Nazarene. He allowed just three hits, one unearned run and no walks, while striking out a school record 13 batters. He struck out five of the first six and four of the last five hitters he faced to break the previous record of nine that he tied last season. He is second in the PacWest in strikeouts (23) and opponent batting average (.151).
 
Newcomer of the Week – Tanner Morache (Dixie State)
SS, Jr.-RS, Surrey, Canada/Surrey
 
Morache had a big weekend for the Red Storm as they ran their winning streak to five games, batting .500 (7-14) with eight RBI and three runs scored. He was 5-for-9 with 4 RBI in a three-game sweep of Montana State-Billings. He is tied for third in the PacWest with 17 hits.