Becherer and Felax Named OVC Baseball Players of the Week

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – The Ohio Valley Conference announced outfielder Travis Becherer (Highland) and pitcher Travis Felax (Troy) have been named OVC Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, after the duo helped SIUE to a 3-2 record this past week, including a series win at Tennessee Tech.

Becherer finished second on the team with a .500 batting average for the past week, while leading the team with two home runs and 11 RBIs. He slugged .864 for the week and finished with a .577 on-base percentage. Becherer began the week going 4 for 5 against Benedictine Tuesday night with 5 RBIs, including the game winner on a bases loaded walk in the 10th. He then homered in each of the Cougars' first two games against Tennessee Tech. On Friday, he was 3 for 4 with a two-run home run in the first inning and an RBI double in the ninth. He sealed Saturday's 10-6 win with a 3-run home run in the ninth inning. Becherer was 2 for 3 in Sunday's loss.

Becherer is tied for the team lead with a .313 batting average. This is the first weekly award for the junior.

Felax, a sophomore, fired the first complete game of his career in Friday's 10-3 win at Tennessee Tech. It is the only complete game this season for SIUE. He allowed only two earned runs and walked one. He struck out seven, with all seven coming in the fifth inning or later. He struck out the side in order in the eighth, including fanning the OVC's leading hitter, Zach Stephens, to end the inning. Stephens finished 0 for 4 against Felax with two strikeouts.

Felax leads SIUE with a 5-3 record, 60 2/3 innings pitched, and 47 strikeouts. He leads the OVC with 10 starts. The award is the second of the season for Felax, who shared Pitcher of the Week honors with Eastern Illinois' Christian Slazinik March 12.

SIUE is 17-19 overall and is seventh in the OVC with a 5-7 record in Conference play.