Jacob Weatherley & Chris Curry Earn Pitcher & Coach of the Year Along with 7 All-OVC Team Recipients

BRENTWOOD, Tenn.- Little Rock stakes claim in 7 regular season awards as Jacob Weatherley is named Pitcher of the Year, Coach Curry named Coach of the Year, and Hoss Brewer, Nico Baumbach, Jacob Weatherley, Jake Wright, and Luke Pectol claim All-OVC Teams.

For the second year in a row, the OVC Pitcher of the Year is a Little Rock Trojan. After Jackson Wells earned the honors last year, Jacob Weatherley now owns the title. Weatherley dubbed the role of the closer for this year's squad coming in to finish 20 games. Weatherley earned 6 wins and 9 saves this year drawing a decision in 15 of the 32 wins this season. In his senior campaign, the righty led the OVC in ERA (2.85), saves (9), games finished (20), and strikeouts per 9 (11.25). Additionally, he ranked third in opposing batting average (.241), third in batters struck out looking (25), fourth in wins (6), fifth in strikeouts (75), sixth in appearances (23), and allowed the least amount of runs (21) among qualifying pitchers. Weatherley pitched a season high 7.2 innings in an extra inning victory over Eastern Illinois. In his final regular season appearance, he pitched for 4.2 innings to claim the win at Tennessee Tech. 

After leading the Trojans to a 32-22 overall record and 17-9 conference record, the OVC has named Chris Curry the 2024 Coach of the Year. Coach Curry has now won Coach of the Year honors in three different leagues (Ohio Valley 2024, Sun Belt 2016, Miss-Lou 2012). The Trojans won 11 of 13 series overall and 8 of 9 conference series including 2 sweeps to close out the year. 

Three Trojans were named to the All-OVC First Team with Nico Baumbach winning his second straight First Team honors and Hoss Brewer and Jacob Weatherely earning their first. Baumbach led the OVC in doubles (22) and was top ten in hits (71) and RBI (52). Baumbach was the everyday third baseman for the Trojans and served as one of the leaders of the team. Hoss Brewer was the ace for most of the year taking over Friday starting duties at teh midway point of the season. Brewer was the strikeout king on the mound throwing a league high 93 strikeouts and a league high 29 strikeouts looking. The senior righty landed in the top 10 in ERA (4.21), innings pitched (77.0), and home runs allowed (8). Brewer was a routine Friday night starter and owned the mound all year.

Jake Wright landed on the All-OVC Second team for his performance in his senior campaign. Wright started all but 2 games for the Trojans hitting to a .319 batting average with 42 runs scored off of 61 hits, 11 doubles, 7 home runs, a grand slam, 36 RBI, and a .487 slugging percentage. Wright was a clutch performer when it mattered the most hitting a home run to cut the lead against Southern Indiana to put the Trojans in a position to walk it off. Luke Pectol had a standout year especially down the stretch to land a spot on the All-OVC Second Team. Pectol was the iron man this year starting in all 54 games hitting to a .308 batting average with 39 runs scored with 64 hits, 8 doubles, a triple, 41 RBI, and a .471 slugging percentage. Pectol was a huge role in the Southern Indiana series with a walk off 2 RBI double in game 2 and a solo shot to right field to tie the game in the bottom of the 10th in game 3. He followed up his clutch performance the next weekend posting a 6/6 game which broke the single game hit record for Little Rock.

Little Rock's successful tenure in the OVC over the last 2 seasons has seen 8 different All-OVC Team recipients and 2 different Pitcher of the Year winners. Heading into the OVC Tournament, the Trojans have a newfound momentum.