The San Francisco Seagulls continue to produce some of the top pitchers across the league and this year was no different, as RJ Hanson (Lindsey Wilson College) dominated the league. In earning the Pitcher of the Year award in the Golden State Collegiate Baseball League, Hanson finished the season with 7 wins, 1 loss, a 1.11 ERA and the Seagulls were 9-1 in games Hanson pitched in this season. Even more impressive was Hanson's walk to strikeout ratio (7 walks, 63 strikeouts) and his .73 WHIP.

The 6-3, 210 pounder from La Honda, CA pitched into the seventh inning in seven of his eight starts and allowed more than two runs in a game just twice all season long. He also didn't walk a single batter in six of his 10 appearances. The Junior had two games with 10 punch outs and another four games of at least seven strikeouts. 

Seagulls manager Marc Caviglia had this to say about Hanson's impressive season "RJ took the ball on Wednesday June 6, 2017 agains the South Bay Storm and went 7 strong innings. He didn't walk anyone and threw just 69 pitches. From that day forward, every time he pitched, we knew we had a great shot of winning. It just so happened that RJ pitched every Wednesday and we coined it "Winning Wednesday's." His ability to throw inside and vary his speeds, arm angles was fun to watch throughout the summer."

Hanson is the third different San Francisco Seagulls to win the Pitcher of the Year award, joining Jared Koenig (San Francisco Seagulls - 2016) and Kyle Slinger (San Francisco Seagulls - 2013). Other winners  of the award voted on by the eight league franchises include Jordan Kurokawa (Top Speed Baseball - 2015) and Ross Slaney (South Bay Storm - 2014).

2017 PITCHER OF THE YEAR RESULTS

1. RJ Hanson (San Francisco) - 38 points
2. Eli Dickens (Top Speed) - 28 points
3. Mark Hendricks (Top Speed) - 21 points
4. Adam Erickson (Sacramento) - 15 points
t5. Jesse Hobaica (Klamath Falls) - 3 points
t5. Ty Hueckman (Reno) - 3 points
t5. Leo Pollack (San Francisco) - 3 points
t5. Drew Stahl (Atwater) - 3 points
9. Cody Rolshoven (Reno) - 2 points
t10. Joe Blair (South Bay) - 1 point
t10. Ryan Calderon (Top Speed) - 1 point
t10. Tyler Follis (Top Speed) - 1 point
t10. Benjamin Whitten (California) - 1 point