NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State right-handed pitchers Drayton Brown and Alex Makarewich still have at least one start apiece left in the 2023 season.
 
The duo, however, picked up a pair of awards Tuesday when they were named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Baseball Team.
 
To be eligible for selection on the Academic All-District Baseball Team, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.5 cumulative grade point average in two semesters at his current academic institution and be a starter or an important reserve who has appeared in at least half of his team's games or pitched at least 10 innings.
 
Makarewich, a junior from Keller, Texas, posted a 3.963 grade point average and earned his undergraduate degree in industrial engineering technology in three years. In his first season as a starting pitcher, Makarewich is 5-4 with a 4.99 and ranks second in the Southland Conference with 84 strikeouts – tying him for ninth-most in NSU single-season history.
 
Makarewich ranks 21^st nationally in fewest hits per nine innings allowed (6.16), 27^th in strikeouts per nine innings (12.23) and 57^th in total strikeouts.
 
Brown, a junior from Nacodgoches, Texas, owns a 3.961 grade point average as a business administration major.
 
In his second season as a starting pitcher after saving six games as a freshman in 2021, Brown is 5-6 with a 5.93 ERA. Brown is second in the Southland Conference in fewest walks per nine inning (2.11, 71^st nationally) and in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.94, 87^th nationally).
 
Brown is nine strikeouts shy of tying Chris Brown for 10^th on NSU's all-time strikeout list with 181.
 
Makarewich and Brown now advance to the Academic All-American ballot. That team will be announced June 7.
 
Both pitchers were Academic All-Southland Conference selections in 2022.