Austin Peay State University Sports Information
Brentwood, TN – For a third consecutive week, the Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball team saw one of its pitchers recognized as the Ohio Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week. Senior left-hander Jacques Pucheu picked up a share of the award this week, for his second honor in the last three weeks.
Pucheu, of Gulfport, Mississippi, notched his second-straight double-digit strikeout performance at home in Saturday’s victory against Belmont.
His 11-strikeout performance was one shy of his career best set two weeks ago against Tennessee Tech.
Pucheu did not allow a walk and permitted only four hits through eight innings.
Retiring 12 consecutive batters from the third inning into the eighth inning, Pucheu opened the game with seven scoreless innings before allowing a solo home run with one out in the eighth. The other three hits he allowed to the Bruins were each singles and no other runner reached second base.
Pucheu ranks first in the OVC in earned-run average (1.20) and opponent’s batting average (.142) and second in wins (four), innings pitched (6.43 per game) and strikeouts (11.40 per nine innings). Nationally, he is 23rd in ERA and eighth in both hits allowed per nine innings (4.40) and WHIP (0.73).
Pucheu previously won the league’s Pitcher of the Week honor March 18 after his 12-strikeout performance against Tennessee Tech. Govs reliever Brett Newberg won the Pitcher of the Week honor last week after notching two saves in three opportunities. Pucheu shared this week’s award with Morehead State starter Jason Goe.
Winners of its last two OVC series and currently among a four-team tie for first place, Austin Peay will seek to keep its momentum going forward when it starts a four-game road trip with a Tuesday contest at Lipscomb. The Govs then will travel to Eastern Kentucky for a three-game league set, Friday-Sunday.
