Ryan Watters - 8/29/2012
The Kelowna Falcons and West Coast League (WCL) are proud to announce Cord Cockrell as the WCL Pitcher of the Year.
_
Cockrell tied the WCL single season record for wins with his 7-3 record._ He would finish with a 2.30 ERA, the lowest of any WCL starter with more than 10 starts this season._
_
The sophomore to be at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette appeared in 14 games, had a team high 11 starts and threw one complete game._ His 70.1 innings pitched were the second most in the WCL while his 32 strike-outs were third most on the Falcons staff.
_
"I didn't expect it at all with all the talented pitchers we faced this summer," said Cockrell. "The Falcons defense is what helped me be as successful as I was."
_
Cockrell picked up two wins over the Bellingham Bells and single wins against Kitsap, Walla Walla, Bend, Corvallis and the only win against the Klamath Falls Gems.
_
General Manager Mark Nonis, who also pitched in Louisiana says, “I wasn’t totally sure what we would see from Cord this season.__ Coach Cantwell recruited him and told me he would be one of the best on our staff.__ Cord did not disappoint us, not only a great pitcher, but a great person off the field as well._ I’m very happy for him, it’s much deserved.”
Cockrell is eligible to return to the Falcons in 2013.
_
It’s the second time in three years a pitcher under the tutelage of Pitching Coach Lloyd Gage has won this award._ In 2010 Dayne Quist was honoured._ Quist is now working through the Tampa Bay Rays organization.
_
Gage said this of Cockrell, "First and foremost, congratulations to Cord and his teammates on a good summer in Kelowna. Cord worked extremely hard to become a starting pitcher in this league, and that hard worked showed in the numbers he was able to put up. Cord is a competitor and wants to perform at his best every time he touches the ball. He has a promising future ahead of him in this game."
_
In other Falcons news, five players were named to the All-WCL teams._ Kyle Pearson, Cockrell and Brandon Marris were named to the First Team All-WCL, while Jerry McClanahan and Jace Conrad were named to the Second Team All-WCL squad.