Hamilton earns ASUN Pitcher of the Week after dominant UCA win

CONWAY, Ark. — The ASUN Conference named Central Arkansas junior right-hander Denver Hamilton its Baseball Pitcher of the Week following a dominant Saturday outing that’s tough to argue with on any level.

Hamilton, a 6-foot junior from Red Oak, Oklahoma, took the mound against Austin Peay State University and delivered one of the cleaner pitching lines you’ll see in college baseball this spring. The Bears won 8-0, and Hamilton was the story from first pitch to last.

He worked seven full innings without giving up a single run, holding the Governors to just two hits. That effort produced a 0.00 ERA for the outing. He struck out 12 batters while issuing just one walk — the kind of command-to-strikeout ratio that gets attention from conference offices and fans alike.

Hamilton builds on a solid season

The Saturday win pushed Hamilton’s season record to 4-0, with his ERA now sitting at 2.54. For a program leaning on its rotation in ASUN play, having a reliable starter putting up those kinds of numbers is a real asset.

Head coach Harlan didn’t hold back when talking about what Hamilton brings to the team — and his praise went well beyond the stat line.

“Denver has all the qualities you want in a competitive pitcher; strikes, good stuff, good temp, and the right attitude,” Harlan said. “He was fun to watch on Saturday. He gives everything he has to his teammates when the ball is in his hand. He is a winner and makes us better. We are all thankful for him.”

Hamilton wears No. 18 and throws and bats right-handed. His consistency this season has made him one of the Bears’ most dependable arms in the rotation, and Saturday’s performance only added to that standing.

A busy week ahead for UCA

The Bears don’t get much time to celebrate. The schedule picks right back up with a mid-week road trip to Arkansas Pine Bluff on Tuesday afternoon, with first pitch set for 3 p.m.

The bigger focus comes over the weekend, when UCA heads to Florence, Alabama, for a three-game ASUN series against North Alabama. The set opens Thursday at 7 p.m., continues Friday at 3 p.m., and closes Saturday at 1 p.m.

Three conference games in three days means the Bears will need contributions across the roster — pitching depth, timely hitting, and clean defense will all matter as they try to build on what’s working in league play.

Hamilton’s done his part. Now it’s up to the rest of the roster to follow his lead in Pine Bluff and then in North Alabama.