Gant Earns Freshman All-America Team Honors
The 6-1, 184-pound right-hander finished his rookie season with a 6-1 record, one save and a team-leading 1.15 earned run average in 21 games. Gant earned wins in each of his last four relief appearances -- two against instate rival Mississippi in the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Ala., and another against Missouri in the NCAA Starkville Regional. He was named to the all-tournament teams of both tournaments.
Gant shut out opponents in 15 of his 21 relief appearances and allowed earned runs in only three games as a freshman. He recorded 39 strikeouts in 54-2/3 innings and held opponents to a .192 batting average.
Gant is the second Bulldog pitcher accorded postseason honors by Collegiate Baseball. Last week named junior left-hander Paul Maholm (9-2, 2.76) was tabbed a third-team All-American.
Maholm was the eighth player taken in the first round of this week's Major league baseball First-Year Player Draft. A school-record and SEC-leading eight players from Mississippi State's 2003 team were selected in this year's professional baseball draft.