Freshman Brayden Gurney earns WJCAC POTW honors

Shallowater native Brayden Gurney has been named the Western Junior College Pitcher following a record-setting performance at Hodgetown, as announced by the league on April 1.

The 6-foot-2 righty struck out 16 batters against Clarendon College last Friday, marking the most punchouts in a single game by a Badger since the reboot of athletics at AC in 2022.

Gurney set two records by the end of his eight-inning stint last weekend. The team’s recently-coined Game 2 starter did not allow a single walk, setting the program’s strikeout-to-walk rate record at 16.

Over his past two outings, the freshman has claimed two victories with 25 strikeouts, one walk, two earned runs, and five hits.

The Shallowater High School product is now the third freshman pitcher in team history to earn a WJCAC weekly award, joining Bret Deegan (2024) and Cooper Golden (2023).