UF Baseball's Brian Johnson & Austin Maddox Among Top 10 Players For John Olerud Award
Thursday, May 24, 2012 | Baseball
Gator junior baseball players Brian Johnson (Cocoa Beach, Fla.) and Austin Maddox (Jacksonville, Fla.) were among the 10 players on the newest Watch List for the 2012 John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award announced by The College Baseball Hall of Fame late Wednesday night. The top 10 features six sophomores, a freshman, two juniors and a senior.
The award, named for the Washington State star who achieved success as both a first baseman and a right-handed pitcher, will be presented as part of the annual College Baseball Night of Champions on June 30 in Lubbock, Texas. The event features the presentation of numerous awards and the induction ceremony for this year's Hall of Fame class, including former Gator standout Brad Wilkerson (1996-98).
Johnson has compiled a 6-4 record with a 3.88 earned run average in a team-high14 starts on the mound spanning 72 innings. The left-hander has 59 strikeouts and has limited opponents to a .256 batting average. Johnson is hitting .317 with 34 RBI, 20 runs and 15 extra-base hits (10 doubles and five homers).
In 28 appearances, Maddox is a perfect 12-for-12 in save situations to lead the Southeastern Conference and is 3-2 with a team-low 1.43 ERA. The righty has struck out 54 batters and issued eight walks in 50.1 innings, while opponents are batting just .184 against him. At the plate, Maddox is hitting .269 with five runs, five RBI and five walks.
“These players have impressive numbers at the plate and on the mound,” said Randy Norman, Olerud Award co-chair. “These athletes are contributing to their teams' success in so many ways. It's great to see how they have progressed through the season.”
“All of these guys have put up great numbers as the season has gone on,” said Aaron Thomas, award co-chair. “It's great to see so many schools and conferences represented on this list and to see how many college baseball players really do have this ability to pitch and play in the field.”
John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award Watch List
| Jacob Mayers | Richmond | Atlantic 10 |
| Michael Lorenzen | Cal State Fullerton | Big West |
| Drew Reynolds | East Carolina | Conference USA |
| Stephen Piscotty | Stanford | Pac-12 |
| Kevin McKague | Army | Patriot |
| Brian Johnson | FLORIDA | SEC |
| Austin Maddox | FLORIDA | SEC |
| A.J. Reed | Kentucky | SEC |
| C.K. Irby | Samford | Southern |
| Marco Gonzales | Gonzaga | West Coast |
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