Johnson earns NCBWA West Region Pitcher of the Week, up for HERO SPORTS Pitcher of the Week

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Wednesday, May 11, 2016 Johnson earns NCBWA West Region Pitcher of the Week, up for HERO SPORTS Pitcher of the Week

Senior Tanner Johnson earns NCBWA West Region Pitcher of the Week honors after striking out 11 and walking none in a complete game to help the ‘Jackets beat Saint Martin’s 10-1.

BILLINGS, Mont. – After tossing his first complete game of the year, striking out 11, and walking none, Montana State University Billings baseball senior right-handed pitcher Tanner Johnson has been named the National Collegiate Baseball Writers’ Association West Region Pitcher of the Week announced Wednesday.

“Tanner was great again this weekend, with 11 strikeouts and no walks,” said MSUB head coach Rob Bishop. “Going deep into a game and throwing the whole thing like he did is a game-changer. It definitely helped us going further in the series, and it was a well-pitched game.”

After winning GNAC Pitcher and Player of the Week honors, Johnson and senior third baseman Kyle Durbin are up for the Hero Sports Division 2 Hero of the Week honor. To vote for MSUB’s senior stars follow the link here.

Johnson allowed just one run and eight hits in nine stellar innings, as he posted his fourth double-digit strikeout performance of the season. Johnson allowed just two runners past second base in the game, and retired the final 11 batters he faced as he did not allow a baserunner in the seventh-through-ninth innings.

His effort, combined with starter Jared Winslow in Game 2 throwing 6 of 7 innings, allowed the ‘Jackets to reach the second day of the series against the Saints having used their bullpen for just one inning. The four-game sweep helped MSUB clinch a share of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference regular-season title for the second straight year.

Johnson has 71 strikeouts in 71 innings pitched on the year and holds a 4.31 earned run average. The senior ranks fourth in MSUB history with 125 strikeouts in just two seasons. Johnson has earned GNAC Pitcher of the Week honors three times in his two-year career and twice this season.

Senior right-hander Tanner Johnson.

This is the first NCBWA regional honor for the Yellowjackets this year. Durbin was honorable mention for this week’s NCBWA West Region Player of the Week which went to Antonio Chavarria of California Baptist University. Last season, Luke Reinschmidt, Brody Miller, and Trevor Nix each earned NCBWA West Region Player

of the Week honors once.

Johnson and the Yellowjackets compete in the GNAC Championships this week in Nampa, Idaho, with MSUB facing Western Oregon at noon and Northwest Nazarene at 7 p.m. on Thursday at Vail Baseball Field.

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