After being named Big West Pitcher of the Week for the third consecutive week (fourth overall,) Clayton Andrews, aka LBSU’s Colossus of Clout, is this week’s Athlete of the Week!
Let’s face it…the Long Beach State Dirtbags have been somewhat average this year. They’re 26-28 overall and 11-10 in the Big West conference, sitting in fifth place. I mean Cal State Northridge can do that and we should never EVER be in the same tier as those guys (except for you, Rahshaun Haylock).
But junior LHP Clayton Andrews has been a ray of sunshine on LBSU’s cloudy day. He was just named Big West Pitcher of the Week for the third consecutive week (fourth overall), becoming the first Big West pitcher to do so since 2000. Do you know how many nasty pitchers have come through the Big West since 2000? Jered Weaver (LBSU), Jason Vargas (LBSU), Ricky Romero (CSUF), Josh Frye (LBSU); all studs who NEVER won Big West Pitcher of the Week three weeks in a row.
On the road at Hawaii, Andrews went seven innings, only allowing one hit while striking out seven. He had a no-hitter going through six and nobody even came close to scoring. He leads the Big West with a 1.31 ERA and 60 strikeouts in conference play and has given up just one run in his last 29 innings. Is that good? Are bonito fish big? What’s this guy’s deal?
And. He. Can. Hit. Andrews has also spent most of the season at the top of the Dirtbag lineup playing center field. He’s basically the next Shohei Ohtani, who is the next Babe Ruth, who was the greatest two-way player of all time. Therefore, Andrews is LBSU’s Colossus of Clout and we’re witnessing history.
Lost in all this greatness is the work by the Big West conference voters. Good on them for having the courage to give our guy the award for three straight weeks. Ever since FDR, voters haven’t had the guts to make it more than two in a row. This could be the beginning of the end of the “trophy generation.” Not all pitchers deserve an award and the Big West might’ve been the first to figure that out.
This is Andrews’ second 908 Athlete of the Week award, which is probably the highest honor he’ll receive this year. He could make even more history if he throws a perfect game this weekend against Cal State Fullerton. He’d be the first ever athlete to win 908 Athlete of the Week three times.
LBSU hosts CSUF at Blair Field (not Bohl Diamond) for the season finale. First pitch Friday at 5 p.m.