Three-Peat: Alan Johnson Named SEC Pitcher Of Week For The Third Time
The sophomore from Pleasant Grove, Ala., registered his second complete-game shutout in SEC competition in last Saturday?s regionally-televised series-clinching 5-0 win over SEC-leading Louisiana State. Johnson (5-2, 3.70) scattered four hits (three singles and a double), struck out six and for the fifth time in 11 starts this season did not allow a walk. The four-hit shutout represented the fewest runs and hits this year by LSU, the top-hitting team in SEC competition.
Only one LSU base runner reached third base during Johnson?s nine-inning performance.
Johnson becomes the first Bulldog player and second SEC athlete overall to earn SEC Pitcher of the Week honors three times in a season. Florida?s Johnny Wiggs was a three-time recipient of the weekly award in 1988. MSU All-American and former Major League pitcher Jeff Brantley is MSU?s only other two-time winner of the SEC Pitcher of the Week honor.
The first-year Bulldog pitcher earned SEC Pitcher of the Week and NCBWA national honors March 3 following his second career appearance for MSU, taking a no-hitter into the eighth inning against East Tennessee State. Johnson fanned a staff season-high 11 and faced one batter over the minimum through seven innings before giving up a single to open the eighth.
He registered his first career complete-game and earned SEC Pitcher of the Week honors a second time after tossing a complete-game two-hit shutout at Mississippi March 29. Johnson faced two batters over the minimum and gave up two singles and a walk in the series-clinching 7-0 win at Oxford.
Mississippi State (33-13-1) climbed to No. 14 (Baseball America) and No. 18 (Collegiate Baseball) in the latest college rankings following last week?s series win over conference-leading LSU. This weekend the Bulldogs travel to Athens, Ga., and open their final regular-season road series of the year Friday at 6 p.m. (CDT) against SEC Eastern Division rival Georgia (26-22).