Aaron Brown Named Olerud Award Finalist
6/16/2014 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
COLLEGE BASEBALL HOF RELEASE | BROWN SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
June 16, 2014
MALIBU, Calif. - Pepperdine's Aaron Brown has been named one of three national finalists for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award given by the National College Baseball Hall of Fame.
Brown is joined by Kentucky's A.J. Reed and Virginia's Nick Howard as finalists for the annual award. Named for the Washington State star who achieved success as both a first baseman and a left-handed pitcher, the award will be presented as part of the annual College Baseball Hall of Fame's Night of Champions on June 28 in Lubbock, Texas.
Brown compiled a 13-1 record on the mound this year, with a 1.95 ERA, 104 strikeouts and just 40 walks. He hit .314 with a team-high 49 RBI on the season and slugged .554 with 29 extra-base hits. The junior lefty led the WCC with 13 homers and had 13 doubles and three triples as well. He also scored 44 runs and stole five bases while starting all 61 games for the Waves this year.
Brown was at his best in the postseason going 3-0 and giving up just one earned run in 23.0 innings pitched (0.39 ERA). He earned Regional MVP honors after giving up just three hits and one unearned run in 8.0 innings against Cal Poly to help the Waves advance past their first NCAA Regional round since 1992. In the NCAA Super Regional, Brown tossed 7.0 scoreless innings in a win over TCU and hit one homer, two doubles and drove in a pair of runs over the course of the series.
His 13 wins are tied for best in the nation and his 104 strikeouts are 25th nationally. Brown's 13 homers are good for 16th in the country and his 134 total bases are 24th. All four totals led the WCC as well as his 6.54 hits allowed per nine innings.
Of the three players Brown's 13 wins and 1.95 ERA lead the way and his four games this season in which he both hit a homer and recorded a win are best in the nation. Reed led the country with 23 homers, while compiling a 12-1 record and 2.09 ERA for Kentucky, and Howard posted 20 RBI and a school-record 19 saves for Virginia.
Brown was drafted as a centerfielder in the third round (No. 81 overall) of this year's MLB Draft by the Philadelphia Phillies.
