Brandon Belcher Named SEC Pitcher of the Week
3/15/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- After posting two wins on the mound last week, including a win over No. 18 Southern Mississippi on March 10, University of Alabama freshman left-hander Brandon Belcher has been named the Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Week, in an announcement by the league office on Monday afternoon.
Belcher recorded his first career win on March 10 as he tossed 5 1/3 scoreless innings in the Crimson Tide’s 9-3 win over No. 18 Southern Miss.
The Ruston, La., native held the hot-hitting Golden Eagles to just five hits and snapped their season-high eight-game winning streak in the process. He added three walks and fanned four in the win.
Then, four days later, he tossed seven shutout innings as the Crimson Tide rolled to a 20-0 win over Southeast Missouri State to complete a three-game weekend sweep at the Joe.
Belcher limited the Indians to just five hits (one double) and added a season-high eight strikeouts en route to his second win of the week.
Belcher teamed with junior left-hander Taylor Tankersley in the series finale to give Alabama its first back-to-back shutouts since Tommy Milstead and Mark Roberts hurled consecutive shutouts at Ole Miss in 1991.
Belcher’s seven shutout innings vs. SEMO are a part of the Tide’s current streak of 20 consecutive scoreless innings on the mound.
As a team, Alabama is 14-4 on the mound this season with a sparkling 2.16 ERA. Alabama has two complete games and four shutouts this year, including the final two games of the SE Missouri State series. The Crimson Tide has worked 160 innings this season and allowed 115 hits, 44 runs, 39 earned runs, 42 walks and 147 strikeouts.
Alabama starters turned in three stellar performances this weekend against SE Missouri State. The trio of Brent Carter (7-1-0-0-2-7), Wade LeBlanc (9-5-0-0-2-10) and Brandon Belcher (7-5-0-0-0-0-8) combined for 23 scoreless innings this weekend and allowed only 11 hits, four walks and 25 strikeouts.
For the season, UA starters are 10-2 with a 2.10 ERA in 18 games; the starters have worked 102.2 innings and allowed 74 hits, 26 runs, 24 earned runs, 22 walks and 88 strikeouts. Opponents are batting just .198 (74-for-373) against Bama starters.
In addition, Alabama has allowed just one run in its last 34 2/3 (0.26 ERA) innings on the mound. Overall, the Crimson Tide has allowed three earned runs or less in 15 of 18 games this season, including the last six in a row.
For the season, Belcher is 2-1 with a 2.0 ERA in five appearances this season. He has worked 18 innings and allowed 14 hits, four earned runs, six walks and 17 strikeouts. With the 12-plus scoreless innings this week, Belcher reduced his ERA by 4.35 runs per game this week.
A two-way player, Belcher has also played nine games in the UA outfield, earning four starts this season. He was 1-for-3 with one RBI in the Crimson Tide’s 2-0 win over SEMO on Saturday in game two of the series.
In nine games, Belcher is batting .286 (4-for-14) with one home run and three RBI in part-time duty in the UA lineup.
