PacWest Players of the Week (Feb. 24)

IRVINE, Calif. — A school record 13 strikeouts in a complete game victory Friday earned Academy of Art University senior starting pitcher Nate Gercken the nod for Pacific West Conference Pitcher of the Week for the week of Feb. 16-22.
 
Gercken struck out the first four batters he faced in game two of Friday's doubleheader versus Northwest Nazarene and five of the first six. He also K'd his final three and four of his last five en route to his second straight win in his second consecutive seven-inning complete game. Gercken's 13 strikeouts broke the previous Academy of Art single-game record of nine, previously set four different times, including by Gercken himself last season versus American Sports University.
 
Gercken also set a new ART U career strikeouts record Friday, collecting his 240th strikeout to surpass the former record of 231 set by Zach Mexicano (2009-12).
 
Gercken was in complete control from the outset in the nightcap. The senior had at least one strikeout in all seven innings and struck out the side in both the first and seventh innings to accent the beginning and end of his record start. He did not surrender a walk or an earned run and only allowed three hits while lowering his season ERA to 2.29.
 
The senior's eighth career complete game also put him four innings away from setting a new ART U career record for innings pitched. The win was the sixth of Gercken's career, setting a new ART U record in that category as well.
 
The Urban Knights begin PacWest play at home Friday versus Azusa Pacific with a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m.