Relief Success Nabs Williams PSUAC Pitcher of the Week
Jordan Williams made three appearances out of the bullpen last week going 1-0 and picking up two saves for PSUGA. For his efforts, he was named the Week three PSUAC Baseball Pitcher of the Week by the PSUAC.
McKeesport, PA. – They say pitching and defense wins championships and, for the Penn State Greater Allegheny Baseball team, it was their bullpen that allowed them to pick up a Penn State University Athletic Conference opening sweep over PSU-Fayette. One of PSUGA’s strongest relievers this week, Jordan Williams (McKeesport, PA./McKeesport HS), was recognized by the PSUAC as the Pitcher of the Week.
Williams made at least one appearance in all three games throwing a combined 5.1 shut out innings of work giving up just four hits while walking two and striking out seven. He picked up his first collegiate win as well as his first two collegiate saves to help PSUGA improve to 8-5 and get off to a 3-0 start in conference play.
Williams’s week started on Friday when he came in in the bottom of the seventh with two outs and his team down 7-6. He allowed a single to the first man he faced before picking up a big strikeout to send his team back to the bat racks. They would reward him scoring three runs in the top of the eighth to take the eventual game winning 9-7 lead and qualify Williams for his first collegiate win. Williams would respond striking out three of the final seven batters he faced to pick up the win and get PSUGA out to a 1-0 start in conference play.
He would then come in to save both halves of Sunday’s series finale doubleheader at Pullman Park. In game one, he entered in the top of the 5th and pitched the final 2.2 innings of work striking out two and walking two. With the game close heading to the top of the 7th, Fayette got a line drive single to start the inning putting Williams in the stretch. He would then roll a double play for the first two outs and get a lineout to secure his first collegiate save.
In game two, Williams was asked to come in and record the final out after Fayette made it a three-run game on a single by Ross Mazer and an error that allowed a runner to come home and score. Williams would make quick work of Fayette’s final batter striking him out and earning the save for the second time in the same day.
The effort lowered Williams’s season ERA to 0.90 through his first six appearances. He has thrown a total of 10 innings striking out 10 batters over that span while allowing just one earned run this season. Williams has also been a weapon on the offensive side of the ball ranking second on the team with his .435 average and tied for second with 12 RBI.
Williams is the ninth PSUGA athlete to be recognized as a PSUAC Player of the Week and the second of the spring season for the PSUGA baseball team. Williams is off to a hot start to his collegiate career and looks to continue that upward trend as the season moves on. With the heart of the PSUGA conference schedule coming up, Williams will be looked to as a spark at the top of the lineup and a shutdown man at the end of the bullpen.
Williams and his team are back in action when they go on the road on Friday to take on Penn State DuBois. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Showers Field in DuBois, PA.