Gabe Nazelli from Wayne State University has been recognized as the GLIAC Pitcher of the Week. This accolade marks the first time in his career that he has received this honor, according to the announcement made by the league on Monday.
Nazelli earned this recognition following a standout performance where he achieved the first complete-game shutout of his career. The game, a 3-0 victory against ninth-ranked Grand Valley State, was played in seven innings. During this game, Nazelli improved his season record to 5-2, successfully keeping one of the region’s strongest offenses scoreless for just the third time across 39 games. He allowed seven hits, conceded one walk, and pitched economically with only 78 pitches against 27 batters. This win also ended Grand Valley State’s eight-game winning streak and was only their second loss at home for the season.
Currently, Nazelli has pitched more innings than any other player on his team, with 44 innings and a 3.68 ERA. The 6-foot-3 pitcher has struck out 29 batters, maintained a batting average against of .259, and his five victories are tied for fourth in the league. Over the previous two seasons, Nazelli had only pitched a total of 7.1 innings with an 8.59 ERA.
Looking ahead, Nazelli and his team are set to play their last non-conference game of the regular season against Findlay. The game is scheduled for a 3 p.m. start on Tuesday. In previous encounters, the Oilers narrowly won 4-3 against the Warriors in Detroit on April 1, before the Warriors secured a decisive 21-6 victory over Findlay one week later.
