TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (February 14, 2017) – The Florida College System Activities Association (FCSAA) has released its NJCAA Region 8 Baseball and Softball Coaches’ Polls for February 14 and Player and Pitcher of the Week selections for games played February 6-12. 

The next poll and player of the week selections will be released February 21. 

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
February 14, 2017 

The NJCAA Region 8 Baseball Coaches’ Poll, with number of first-place votes in parentheses, 2017 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: Tallahassee 3, Florida SouthWestern 1.

Dropped from rankings: No. 10 Tallahassee

NJCAA Region 8 Softball Coaches’ Poll
February 14, 2017 

The NJCAA Region 8 Softball Coaches’ Poll, with number of first-place votes in parentheses, 2017 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: Santa Fe 8, Daytona State 7, Polk State 1.

Dropped from rankings: No. 10 Santa Fe.

NJCAA Region 8 Baseball Player of the Week
Gavin Garay, St. Petersburg
Sophomore – 1B
Lagrangeville, N.Y. 

• Batted .556 (10-for-18) with four runs scored, five doubles, one home run and nine RBIs in four games during the voting period
• Led St. Petersburg to a 3-1 record
• Hit safely in all four games, and had multiple hits in each
• Top game of the week vs. Lake-Sumter State when he was 3-for-5 with a home run and five RBIs
• Finished the week with another 3-for-5 effort against Pasco-Hernando State – he also scored two runs, had two doubles and drove in a run

Other nominees: Jordan Curtis, Tallahassee; Zach Diewert, Polk State; Zach Ghelfi, Pasco-Hernando State

NJCAA Region 8 Baseball Pitcher of the Week
Tyler Beck, Pasco-Hernando State
Sophomore – RHP
South Bend, Ind. 

• 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in one appearance during the voting period
• Tossed a complete-game shutout in Pasco-Hernando State’s 3-0 win over Florida SouthWestern
• He allowed only six hits and one walk while striking out 13

Other nominees: Davie Inman, Florida SouthWestern; Andres Fernandez, Indian River State; Vlad Nunez, State College of Florida; Kevin King, St. Petersburg

NJCAA Region 8 Softball Player of the Week
Destinee Lizzmore, Central Florida
Sophomore – 2B
Jacksonville, Fla. 

• Batted .379 (11-for-29) with 12 runs scored, five home runs, 16 RBIs and six stolen bases in nine games during the voting period
• Helped Central Florida to an 8-1 record during the week
• Hit safely in eight of nine games and scored at least one run in seven of the nine
• In February 11 games vs. Salt Lake and Northwest Florida State the FPU Classic, she went a combined 3-for-6 with three home runs and six RBIs
• The next day, she homered and drove in three runs vs. Lake Land

Other nominees: Deborah Ribiero, Chipola; Victoria Wilkins, St. Petersburg; Christian Quinn, Florida SouthWestern; Brandie Callaway, Tallahassee; Veronica Frees, Broward

NJCAA Region 8 Softball Pitcher of the Week
Morgan Cushman, Central Florida
Freshman – RHP
Lake City, Fla. 

• 4-0, one save and 0.91 ERA in five appearances during the voting period
• Picked up wins over Polk State and Hillsborough leading into the FPU Classic where she went five innings in a 6-0 win over Northwest Florida State and earned the complete-game victory (with 11 strikeouts) over Lake Land
• In her final outing of the week, she went three innings to record the save against Columbia State
• For the week, she totaled 23 innings and allowed 11 hits, three runs (all earned) and two walks while striking out 27

Other nominees: Courtney Gettins, Florida SouthWestern State; Devyn Terry, Chipola