HobbsDailyReport.com
HICKORY – A four-inning outing that featured nine strikeouts in four innings earned Catawba Valley Community College (CVCC) star Julian Smith the National Player of the Week award for Division II in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).
Julian Smith, who has signed to play baseball at N.C. Stater after he completes his sophomore season at Catawba Valley Community College, is off to a hot start and has already won a national Pitcher of The Week award./CVCC PHOTO
Smith’s selection was announced Thursday by CVCC’s athletic department, and he is the first Red Hawks player to receive a weekly national award since Craig Zalewa in 2016. The last pitcher tabbed for the honor from CVCC was Bryce Hensley in April of 2015.
“It feels great being named with those guys that have been here before,” Smith said of his honor in a Red Hawks press release. “It’s always good to get recognized, but I just went out there and did my job and tried to give my team the best chance to win the game.”
Smith, who missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, returned with a bang, impressing scouts with his 94 mile per hour fastball.
Last October, Smith committed to play baseball at N.C. State University after his sophomore season at CVCC. He signed a national letter of intent on Nov. 9.
After his Feb. 8 debut, Smith followed up with a five-inning game against Walters State in which he struck out nine. He gave up two hits and walked one.
“I felt good out there, but I think this is just a reflection of the work we’ve put in as a team in the offseason and leading up to today,” Smith said of Saturday’s pitching performance that helped earn him Pitcher of the Week honors.
CVCC pitching coach and recruiting coordinator Kris Harvey has been pleased with what he’s seen from Smith in two outings this season.
“I’m happy for him,” Harvey said of Smith. “He’s coming off not really pitching for two years and coming off surgery. To come out with the adjustments he’s made and as hard as he’s worked to kind of finally get everything together, it was really nice to see.
“In the first two innings, he had all of his stuff or at least two plus pitches. His change-up is coming along. He’s done really well at competing in the zone and not being afraid of anybody.”
Smith is scheduled to start the opening game of a doubleheader on Saturday against USC Union at the Legion Fairgrounds in Newton. First pitch is at 1 p.m.
CVCC plays USC Union on Friday as well (see earlier post).
- Reported by CVCC Sports Information