HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana pitcher Brennan Stuprich '20 was named the Southland Conference Freshman of the year, six Lions earned All-Conference honors and yet another picked up All-Defensive honors, the league office announced Monday.
Will Warren joined Stuprich in earning first-team honors. First baseman Preston Faulkner, shortstop Evan Keller and utility player Jacob Burke picked up second-team honors while center fielder Tyler Finke grabbed a spot on the third team. Senior catcher Gaby Cruz was named to the conference’s All-Defensive squad.
Stuprich leads the Southland with a 2.17 ERA while also ranking seventh in both wins (6) and innings pitched (74.1), ninth in opponent batting average (.225) and 13th in strikeouts (62).
Along the way, the Brother Martin (H.S.) grad picked up Southland pitcher of the week honors (April 12) after logging eight shutout innings over regular-season champ Abilene Christian and was voted the Louisiana Pitcher of the Week by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association (April 26) after he tossed a shutout on the road against conference-leading New Orleans.
Taking advantage of an opportunity, Stuprich stepped into the starting rotation following a season-ending injury to sophomore Grant Upton. The right-hander from Kenner, Louisiana becomes the third Lion to win the Southland’s top freshman award, joining alums Andro Čutura (2012) and Brennan Breaud (2016).
Southeastern (30-22, 22-17 SLC), which won at least 30 games for the 14th consecutive full season, has had at least one player earn a postseason award in six of the last seven full seasons.
