Bouchey makes ULM rotation, Dugout calls: "You can do it"

RHP Brayden Bouchey (White Rock, BC) starts Game 3 of the season for the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks against the Southeastern Louisiana Lions.

By Bob Elliott
Canadian Baseball Network
In the movie The Waterboy Adam Sandler’s character, Bobby Boucher (pronounced boo-shay) wound up being the star for the fictional University of Louisiana Cougars football team.

And when the real-life Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks kick off their season Feb. 19 against the Southeastern Louisiana Lions, Brayden Bouchey (pronounced boo-shay) starts Game 3 of the weekend series and is expected to be a large part of the Warhawks pitching staff. 

The former Langley Blaze, where he earned the nicke name “Water Boy,” RHP Bouchey (White Rock, BC) had a summer to remember. He earned Perfect Game Summer Collegiate All-American honors after pitching for the Licking County Settlers in the Great Lakes League. Bouchey was named to the Great Lakes Second Team.

The 6-foot-6, 212-pounder licked opposing summer league hitters in a dominant fashion with a 3-0 mark and an 0.22 ERA in 41 1/3 innings while recording 50 strikeouts.

He spent last spring with the ULM Warhawks after transferring from Odessa College in Texas where he spent his freshman year. 

At ULM he was 4-3 making 10 appearances -- eight starts -- with a 4.46 ERA in 36 1/3 innings with 15 strikeouts. He had two wins against Grambling State (four innings, four hits, three runs, two earned, three strikeouts for the first win; three scoreless four hits, one strikeout in the second).

And one win each facing McNeese State Cowboys (two runs on six hits, four strike outs, six innings) and Northwestern State in relief (one hit in two innings). 

He made his Warhawk debut with five innings of work against Stephen F. Austin registering a no-decision after surrendering zero earned runs on two hits. He earned a no-decision against Louisiana Tech after allowing one run on seven hits in five innings fanning four Bulldog batters. In his final start of season he pitched 3 1/3 innings against Nicholls State.

At Odessa appearing in 15 games he was 5-3 record with a 4.27 ERA. Bouchey had two complete games with 60 strikeouts in 59 innings.

Bouchey finished playing for the Blaze in 2013, going 8-0 with a 1.24 ERA. He fanned 59 in 50 2/3 innings throwing five complete games and two no hitters.