The University of Mississippi Athletics
Cooper Johnson Named SEC Player of the Week
5/6/2019 | Baseball
Junior Catcher Hit .545 with Six Runs Scored, Five RBI in LSU Series Win
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Ole Miss junior catcher Cooper Johnson delivered all weekend at the plate at LSU as the Rebels won their first series in Baton Rouge since 1982. For his clutch performance, he was named SEC Player of the Week by the league office on Monday.
Johnson hit .545 (6-for-11) at Alex Box Stadium, posting a .643 on-base percentage and .909 slugging percentage. He scored six runs and drove in five along the way, tallying one double and one home run.
Known as perhaps the best defensive catcher in college baseball, Johnson held LSU to just one stolen base on the weekend. But it was Johnson's offensive prowess that earned him league honors for the first time in his career.
The junior out of Mundelein, Illinois, went 2-for-4 in Game 1, hitting a solo home run in the seventh inning that brought the Rebels within one run. He was held hitless in Game 2 but walked and scored a run while catching a brilliant game for Ole Miss freshman left-hander Doug Nikhazy, who tossed 6.1 innings with just one run allowed in the Rebels' 5-1 victory.
In Game 3's marathon victory, Johnson was one of the toughest outs on the field, going 4-for-5 with four runs scored and four RBI. His RBI single in the second plated the first of many runs in the Rebels' 19-15 victory. He then drove home two with an RBI base hit in the third and sent home his fourth on an RBI double in the sixth. After a dramatic LSU comeback, Johnson led off the 10th inning with a walk and came around to score what proved to be the game-winning run.
In Sunday's win, the Buster Posey Award Watch Lister set new career-highs in hits (4) and runs scored (4) and came one shy of his career-best in RBI.
Johnson joined Thomas Dillard as the second Rebel to win SEC Player of the Week this season, in addition to Doug Nikhazy's two SEC Freshman of the Week honors.
Johnson and the No. 11 Rebels are off in the midweek due to final exams. They will return to action this weekend to host No. 5 Mississippi State for a key SEC series at Swayze Field.
Johnson hit .545 (6-for-11) at Alex Box Stadium, posting a .643 on-base percentage and .909 slugging percentage. He scored six runs and drove in five along the way, tallying one double and one home run.
Known as perhaps the best defensive catcher in college baseball, Johnson held LSU to just one stolen base on the weekend. But it was Johnson's offensive prowess that earned him league honors for the first time in his career.
The junior out of Mundelein, Illinois, went 2-for-4 in Game 1, hitting a solo home run in the seventh inning that brought the Rebels within one run. He was held hitless in Game 2 but walked and scored a run while catching a brilliant game for Ole Miss freshman left-hander Doug Nikhazy, who tossed 6.1 innings with just one run allowed in the Rebels' 5-1 victory.
In Game 3's marathon victory, Johnson was one of the toughest outs on the field, going 4-for-5 with four runs scored and four RBI. His RBI single in the second plated the first of many runs in the Rebels' 19-15 victory. He then drove home two with an RBI base hit in the third and sent home his fourth on an RBI double in the sixth. After a dramatic LSU comeback, Johnson led off the 10th inning with a walk and came around to score what proved to be the game-winning run.
In Sunday's win, the Buster Posey Award Watch Lister set new career-highs in hits (4) and runs scored (4) and came one shy of his career-best in RBI.
Johnson joined Thomas Dillard as the second Rebel to win SEC Player of the Week this season, in addition to Doug Nikhazy's two SEC Freshman of the Week honors.
Johnson and the No. 11 Rebels are off in the midweek due to final exams. They will return to action this weekend to host No. 5 Mississippi State for a key SEC series at Swayze Field.
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