MARION, Ind. -- Indiana Wesleyan University starting pitcher Brandon Moore has been honored as the NAIA Region VIII Player of the Year, according to the region.

Moore, the Mid-Central College Conference Player of the Year, is the first Wildcat to ever earn the accolade.

"It's a great culmination of Brandon's career to receive this individual honor after all the hard work he's put in to become a dominant pitcher," said IWU head coach Mark DeMichael.

To date, Moore is 8-3 with a 1.64 earned run average. He has struck out 104 batters in 76-2/3 innings pitched. His 12.2 strikeouts per innings pitched ratio is third in the NAIA while batters hit a paltry .184 against him, good for sixth in the nation. His 6.1 hits per nine innings pitched ranks seventh in the country while his earned run average is 10th in the NAIA.

Moore and the Wildcats will next play in the National Christian College Athletic Association Midwest regional final this week. Indiana Wesleyan will compete at Cedarville (Ohio) University in a best-out-of-three series beginning at 1 p.m. on Thursday for the right to participate in the NCCAA World Series.