The two players have done it in different ways on the mound.
Brian Johnson has been one of the few Florida starting pitchers to stay healthy this season. The junior left-hander is 5-4 with a 4.29 ERA in 13 starts and 65 innings pitched this season. Opponents are hitting .273 against Johnson, and he has recorded 52 strikeouts.
At the plate, Johnson is hitting .323 with five home runs, 32 RBI and 15 runs scored. After a slow start at the plate, Johnson’s bat has come around in recent weeks while earning some starts at first base and designated hitter.
Austin Maddox has been dominant out of the Florida bullpen. The junior right-hander has converted all 12 of his save opportunities to lead the SEC this season and leads the team with 25 appearances on the mound. Maddox boasts a 1.58 ERA while striking out 51 batters and walking just eight in 45.2 innings.
Maddox’s role at the plate has started to expand in recent weeks. He is hitting .262 with five RBI and five runs scored.
“The SEC is one of the strongest baseball conferences year-in and year-out,” said Olerud Award co-chair Aaron Thomas. “So, it’s only natural that a number of players from that conference made the Watch List. But, we’re excited to see how players from some of the other conferences continue to perform as the season winds down.”
Florida and Georgia Tech are the only two schools with more than two players selected to the 20-man list.
TURGEON HONORED: Florida second baseman Casey Turgeon was named SEC Freshman of the Week on Monday for his performance in the Kentucky series over the weekend.
Turgeon’s big hit came with a triple to lead off the eighth inning in game two of the series with the game tied. He came around to score on an RBI single by Josh Tobias, serving as the go-ahead run that would help Florida clinch the series.
Turgeon finished the series going 4-10 (.400) at the plate.