Zach Pettway was surprised when he made the Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American Team after an impressive first year at UCLA. The Wilson High alum got a text message about the news from roommate and fellow honoree Holden Powell, but he couldn’t believe it was real.
“This season was a lot of fun,” Pettway said. “It was special being able to come in and be an important part of the team.”
Pettway made 15 starts on the mound in his first season at UCLA, and the right-hander posted an 8-4 record and a 3.35 ERA in 96.2 innings. He ended the regular season top-10 in the Pac-12 in wins, strikeouts and innings pitched, and earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention.
Pettway is the first UCLA freshman to start his career 5-0 since 2012. He is also the first UCLA freshman to start and earn a win on the opening weekend since 2011. Pettway pitched eight shutout innings against Baylor in his second career start, and set a career-high with 10 strikeouts at Arizona in May.
Pettway sat out his junior year at Wilson High due to injury, but found his rhythm again down the stretch as a senior to help the Bruins win a share of the Moore League title for the second time in four years. Pettway won his final three league starts against the top of the league, and capped the comeback with a complete-game shutout against Millikan on the last night of the regular season. He gave up three hits with 11 strikeouts in the win a week after leading Wilson to a dramatic win at Lakewood that was also coach Andy Hall’s 500th career win. Pettway had a 1.35 ERA with 84 strikeouts in 62 1/3 innings as a senior at Wilson. He also had 16 RBIs on 21 hits, including his only home run of the season in a playoff loss to Edison.
