Powell Named 2019 NCBWA Stopper of the Year
June 15, 2019 | Baseball
OMAHA, Neb. โ UCLA closer Holden Powell has been named the recipient of the 2019 NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award, it was announced on Saturday morning by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA).
Powell becomes the second Bruin ever to be named the Stopper of the Year. He joins David Berg (2013, 15), who remains the lone two-time winner in the history of the award since its inception in 2005. The award is handed out annually to the top relief pitcher in college baseball as determined by the NCBWA.ย
UCLA moved into a tie with Texas for the most all-time Stopper of the Year Awards at three. Louisville (two) is the only other program nationwide with multiple recipients.
A First Team All-America selection by the NCBWA and a Pac-12 all-conference performer as a sophomore, Powell boasted a 1.84 ERA with a 4-3 record and notched 17 saves during the 2019 season. His save total was second, both in the country this year and in the all-time UCLA single-season record book, trailing only the NCAA-record 24 by Berg in 2013.
The Visalia, Calif. native had a 20-inning streak without allowing an earned run from Mar. 22 to May 5 and surrendered just four earned runs in his last 28 outings dating back to Mar. 18. He lowered his ERA from 4.76 to 1.84 during that span, and had 65 strikeouts in just 49 innings. In all, he allowed just 12 runs (10 earned) while appearing in 40 games, the third-most in the country.
Earlier this spring Powell earned consensus All-America status, as he was named to all five All-America teams released by major college baseball outlets. The flamethrower was downright unhittable at times over the season, accruing a streak of eight or more consecutive innings without a hit allowed on two separate occasions (Mar. 22 to Apr. 12, May 14 to Jun. 3).
He was a trusted shutdown option for head coach John Savage, as Powell earned saves in back-to-back games on eight occasions and earned the save in three straight games twice during the season.
