LAKELAND, Fla. – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) announced Union's Lane Evans was named NCBWA NCAA Division II South Region Pitcher of the Week, for the week ending April 26, 2026.
 
Evans earned his third win of season after being credited with an 11-5 complete game decision at Christian Brothers last week. The senior right-hander went 9.0 innings and tossed a career-best 13 strikeouts, while surrendering five runs on nine hits.

With the announcement, Evans is the first Bulldog to earn NCBWA region weekly honors this season and the first since 2024, when Eli Snelson was recognized with the same award on April 25. This is the fifth time in the last six weeks a Gulf South Conference pitcher was recognized. Evans was previously named the GSC Pitcher of the Week.

2026 NCBWA South Region Players of the Week
Week 1: Zach Stokes (West Florida) – Player / Jacob Pino (Florida Tech) – Pitcher
Week 2: Ryan Crivello (Saint Leo) – Player / Robert Satin (Tampa) – Pitcher
Week 3: Jhoander Irigoyen (Tampa) – Player / Zach Wyatt (Montevallo) – Pitcher 
Week 4: Marcello Cortale (Florida Tech) – Player / Jack Ensell (Barry) – Pitcher
Week 5: Kent Johnson (Benedict) – Player / Tyler Brashear (Eckerd) – Pitcher
Week 6: Alex Johnson (Mississippi College) – Player / Baker Green (West Alabama) – Pitcher 
Week 7: Cade Martin (Trevecca) – Player / Ryan Sweeney (Trevecca) – Pitcher 
Week 8: Cody Turner (Lee) – Player / Grady Bivens (Eckerd) – Pitcher
Week 9: Tucker Jones (Delta State) – Player / Cooper Cooksey (Mississippi College) – Player
Week 10: Ryan Campbell (Kentucky State) – Player / Zach Wyatt (Montevallo) – Pitcher 
Week 11: Jatnier Torres (Spring Hill) – Player / Nick Manning (Nova Southeastern) – Pitcher  
Week 12: Tanner Taylor (West Florida) – Player / Adrian Byrd (Delta State) – Pitcher*
Week 13: Daniel Donaldson-Fountain (Edward Waters) – Player / Lane Evans (Union) – Pitcher 

* earned NCBWA National honors