TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (March 8, 2016) – The Florida College System Activities Association (FCSAA) has released its NJCAA Region 8 Baseball and Softball Coaches’ Polls for March 8 and Player and Pitcher of the Week selections for games played February 29-March 6.

The next poll and Player and Pitcher of the week selections will be released March 15.

Follow the FCSAA and NJCAA Region VIII sports online throughout the season at www.theFCSAAsports.com. The FCSAA is also on Facebook and Twitter @theFCSAA.

NJCAA Region 8 Baseball Coaches’ Poll
March 8, 2016 

The NJCAA Region 8 Baseball Coaches’ Poll, with number of first-place votes in parentheses, 2016 record, previous ranking and total points in voting by Region 8 baseball coaches, the FCSAA Baseball Chair and the FCSAA Scoreboard Coordinator.

Also receiving votes: Broward 13, Pasco-Hernando State 8, St. Petersburg 6, Palm Beach State 5, Central Florida 3, Pensacola State 2, South Florida State 1.

The NJCAA Region 8 Softball Coaches’ Poll, with number of first-place votes in parentheses, 2016 record, previous ranking and total points in voting by Region 8 softball coaches, the FCSAA Softball Chair and the FCSAA Scoreboard Coordinator.

Also receiving votes: St. Johns River State 16, St. Petersburg 12, Polk State 9, Miami Dade 7, Hillsborough 4, Santa Fe 2, South Florida State 2, Tallahassee 1, Pensacola State 1.

Dropped from rankings: No. 10 St. Johns River State.

NJCAA Region 8 Baseball Player of the Week
Alec Wisely, Gulf Coast State
Freshman – 2B
Jacksonville, Fla. 

• Batted .733 (11-for-15) with six runs scored, five doubles and eight RBIs in four games during the voting period
• Led Gulf Coast State to a perfect 4-0 record in games in which he played
• Hit safely in all four games – multi-hit game in each
• 3-for-3 with three RBIs in game one vs. Faulkner State; 2-for-4 vs. Wallace-Dothan; 6-for-8 with four runs scored, four doubles and five RBIs in doubleheader vs. Grand Rapids

Other nominees: Cody Burgess, Polk State; Spencer Levine, Seminole State; Alex Reynolds, Pasco-Hernando State

NJCAA Region 8 Baseball Pitcher of the Week
Gage Hutchinson, Daytona State
Sophomore - RHP
Port Orange, Fla. 

• 1-0, 0.00 ERA in one appearance during the voting period
• Beat Lake-Sumter State in the Falcons’ Mid-Florida Conference opener
• Tossed a complete-game, one-hit shutout with one walk and six strikeouts
• Lost a no-hit bid with one out in the ninth inning

Other nominees: Zak Spivy, Polk State; Dominick Stefanacci, St. Petersburg; Vince Coletti, Palm Beach State; Nick Nelson, Gulf Coast State

NJCAA Region 8 Softball Player of the Week
Mariah Wise, Central Florida
Sophomore – OF
Bradenton, Fla. 

• Batted .600 (15-for-25) with 16 runs scored, two doubles, four RBIs and 14 stolen bases in eight games during the voting period
• Led Central Florida to a perfect 8-0 week, improving the Patriots’ record to 31-1
• Hit safely in seven of eight games but reached base and scored in all eight
• Was 5-for-5 in game one of a doubleheader against nationally-ranked Miami Dade and 4-for-7 with six runs scored in a doubleheader against Florida SouthWestern

Other nominees: Hollianne Dohrn, Florida SouthWestern State; Madison Staniloiu, Lake-Sumter State

NJCAA Region 8 Softball Pitcher of the Week
Kalen McGill, Central Florida
Sophomore – RHP
Gainesville, Fla. 

• 4-0, 1.40 ERA in four appearances during the voting period
• Four complete-game victories, including ones against nationally-ranked Miami Dade and Region 8 top ten foes State College of Florida and Florida SouthWestern State
• In 25 total innings, allowed 22 hits and five walks (1.08 WHIP) while striking out 16