Jon Olczak Named Southern League BC Relief Pitcher of the Month

Biloxi Shuckers RHP Jon Olczak has been named the Southern League BC Relief Pitcher of the Month, the Southern League announced on Friday. It is the first time Olczak has garnered a Player of the Month award in his career.
During the month of May, Olczak posted an astonishing 0.59 ERA in ten appearances, tossing 15.1 innings for Biloxi out of the bullpen. The 24-year-old allowed only one earned run and walked just four batters while striking out 17. On his way to a 2-1 record during the month, Olczak also picked up three holds and held opponents to a .182 batting average against. Of his ten outings during the month of May, Olczak hurled more than one inning on six occasions, including two innings of relief on May 31 against the Mississippi Braves.
In 18 appearances this season, Olczak is 3-1 with a 1.52 ERA. He is tied for the league lead in holds with five, and owns the lowest walks per nine-innings pitched ratio (0.76) in the Southern League, after issuing just four walks, two intentional, this season. Additionally, Olczak has not allowed an inherited base runner to score, inheriting 14 in his 23.2 innings.
Taken in the 21st round of the 2015 MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers out of North Carolina State, Olczak has handled some of the most pressure-packed situations for the Shuckers this season. On May 4 against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, Olczak entered the game in the seventh with the bases loaded and just one out while the Shuckers trailed the Jumbo Shrimp 4-3. The righty induced a pop up in foul territory before striking out Eric Jagielo, leaving the bags full. He would pick up the win after the Lucas Erceg's two-run homer put the Shuckers in front in the bottom of the seventh. On May 10, Olczak stranded a pair of runners in the seventh against the Biscuits to keep the contest knotted at two before pitching a scoreless eighth and ninth, earning the win in a 3-2 Biloxi victory in ten innings over Montgomery at Riverwalk Stadium.
Olczak is the first Shuckers' pitcher to garner honors from the Southern League this season, and the first to win a league award since Aaron Wilkerson was named Pitcher of the Week on July 27 of 2017. He's the second Shuckers player to earn recognition from the Southern League this week after Jake Gatewood was named the Southern League Player of the Week on Tuesday.
The Shuckers continue their five-game series against the Mississippi Braves on Friday night at 6:35 PM at MGM Park. Leading the series 2-1, Biloxi sends LHP Kodi Medeiros (4-2, 4.29) to the mound against RHP Andres Santiago (3-0, 3.38). It's another Fireworks Friday presented by Margaritaville Resort Biloxi, with postgame fireworks after the game set to beach and summer music. The Shuckers will also be celebrating Schooner the Seagulls Birthday with fun throughout the night.
Single game tickets for the Biloxi Shuckers 2018 season are on sale now and can be purchased at the MGM Park box office or over the phone through Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Season tickets, flex plans and group outings are also available and can be reserved by calling 228-233-3465 or visiting www.biloxishuckers.com.
ABOUT THE BILOXI SHUCKERS:
The Biloxi Shuckers are the Double-A Affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. The Shuckers play at MGM Park in Biloxi, Mississippi. For more information please visit biloxishuckers.com and follow us on Twitter @biloxishuckers and at facebook.com/biloxishuckers.com.