From Staff Reports

 

AMERICUS – GSW baseball pitcher Tucker Smith and GSW softball pitcher Shannon Gibson have been named the Georgia Southwestern State University Department of Athletics top performers for the month of March.

Smith, a redshirt junior from Fort Walton Beach, FL, won three games and posted a 2.40 ERA over seven starts and 45 innings pitched for the Hurricanes. He struck out 30 batters and only walked nine. Smith also pitched two complete games in March. On Friday, March 8, Smith held Flagler College to one earned run over nine innings. During that game, he struck out eight batters and walked only one. Smith also went the distance against Lenoir-Rhyne University with no earned runs, no walks and seven strikeouts on Saturday, March 23. Smith is one of four pitchers in the Peach Belt Conference to throw a complete game in conference play this season. Smith currently leads the PBC with an overall ERA of 1.92 and three complete games. He also ranks seventh in the PBC in strikeouts with 56.

Shannon Gibson is a junior from Colborne, Ontario. She went 7-2 in the month of March for the Lady Hurricanes softball team. The right-hander appeared in 12 games, started nine, threw six complete games and posted one shutout.

Gibson’s best outing was a three-hit shutout (4-0) over Shorter University on Wednesday, March 13. Her 2.27 ERA was the best on the team during the month of March. Gibson currently leads the PBC in conference wins this season (5) and her overall ERA of 2.15 ranks ninth in the conference.

GSW coaches nominate athletes and vote for the recipients of the award each month.