By Ryan Tow - University of Arkansas at Monticello
After a two win, 20 strikeout week on the mound, the University of Arkansas-Monticello baseball team's Mason Philley came out of the weekend with a National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Central Region Pitcher of the Week selection.
Philley had a dominant week on the bump for the Boll Weevils, pulling in a win against Delta State University in a mid-week outing, followed by a second win in his 15-strikeout performance against Oklahoma Baptist University. The Senior LHP had 20 total strikeouts throughout his 11.2 innings, etching his name in the UAM record book on Saturday. The Monticello native broke the career strikeout record of 285 in his sixth strikeout against the Bison. A record that has been held by David Stover for nearly 50 years after setting the record in 1974. Philley would sit down nine other batters to increase his career strikeouts to 295.
Philley's 15 strikeout performance against the Bison matches his career-high against East Central in the 2021 season. He leaves the weekend with 65 strikeouts on the 2023 season and a s-era of 3.27. The lefty is 25 strikeouts behind his single-season record of 90 strikeouts (4th all-time).
