Freshman pitcher Joel Lopez (Dorado, PR/PRBA) has been named the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) Division I Baseball Pitcher of the Week after earning his first-career win last week.
Lopez tossed 14.0 innings last week in two starts, allowing just one earned run and striking out nine batters.
Against Ellsworth Community College on Tuesday, Lopez took the Panthers to extra innings. After allowing one unearned run in the top of the first inning, Lopez kept Ellsworth scoreless for seven straight frames. The Tigers eventually fell in nine innings, 5-1. In eight innings, Lopez struck out five batters and issued just two walks.
Making his fourth-career start, Lopez pitched a gem against St. Cloud Technical & Community College at home on Sunday afternoon. The freshman pitched 6.0 innings, allowing four hits and one earned run to go along with four strikeouts in earning his first victory on the hill as a Tiger.
Lopez lowered his earned run average to 1.96 on the season and has struck out 16 batters thus far.
Lopez joins Wyatt Stark (Mt. Pleasant, IA/Fairfield) as Tigers that have earned ICCAC Pitcher of the Week honors this season.
