Stewart, Larson Nab 2020 Season's First Weekly Awards
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Outfielder Brandon Stewart and left-hander Grant Larson of rivals UC San Diego and Chico State, respectively, produced standout performances to earn the first CCAA Player and Pitcher of the Week honors for 2020.
Stewart, a redshirt junior out of Temecula, was No. 2 UC San Diego’s hitting leader during a three-game sweep at home over Concordia (OR). He batted .444 (4-9) with two doubles, three runs scored, three RBI and a stolen base en route to his first career award. Stewart started all three games in the outfield, slugging .667 with a .545 on-base percentage as the reigning CCAA regular-season and West Region champion Tritons outscored the visiting Cavaliers, 28-6. He had one walk, one hit-by-pitch, struck out just once, and fielded all 11 defensive chances cleanly, including an assist. Stewart hit an RBI double late in Saturday’s season opener, and added a two-run double to make the score 8-0 in Sunday’s finale. Both came with two outs.
Larson, a fifth-year senior and San Diego native, fired seven strong innings Saturday afternoon in Azusa as Chico State salvaged the finale of a three-game series against the 2019 West Region runners-up, 13-3. He struck out eight without issuing a walk or hit-by-pitch, while allowing two runs on just three hits at No. 21 Azusa Pacific’s hitter-friendly ballpark. Larson in fact tossed six scoreless frames prior to back-to-back solo home runs to begin the seventh. He retired the next three Cougar hitters, having set down 18 of the first 20 with four perfect innings. Larson turned back 13 batters in a row following a two-out double in the first. He is now a three-time recipient after a pair of weekly awards last season on March 12 and April 23.
Ironically, the 2019 season ended with Triton third baseman Alex Eliopulos as the CCAA Player of the Week and Wildcat hurler Alex Kent as the CCAA Pitcher of the Week last May 7.
UC San Diego defeated Point Loma on the road on Monday, 4-3, to remain perfect at 4-0, and has two more dates with the crosstown rival Sea Lions over the next eight days. Chico State opens the home slate with a three-game set against Fresno Pacific this Friday and Saturday.
Also nominated - player:
Giovanni Del Negro, Cal State San Bernardino; Jayce Gardner, Stanislaus State; Ryan McSwain, Cal State East Bay; Eddie Zavala, Chico State
Also nominated - pitcher:
Brian Martinez, Cal State East Bay; Luke Mattson, UC San Diego; Rylan TInsley, Stanislaus State