University of Georgia junior right-hander Tony Locey has been named a semifinalist for the Pitcher of the Year Award, presented by the College Baseball Foundation (CBF).
At 9-1 with a 2.63 ERA, Locey ranks sixth nationally in victories and in fewest hits allowed per nine innings (4.7) plus he has limited opponents to a .157 batting average. The 6-3, 235-pound native of Columbus, Ga., has excelled all season including going 2-0 as the SEC Friday Night starter the past two weeks, defeating Florida and Auburn. He is the current SEC Pitcher of the Week after matching his career high with seven innings pitched in a road win over the Tigers where he finished with 10 strikeouts and just one walk.
Locey has been a part of three one-hitters this season including a seven-inning start in beating fifth-ranked Vanderbilt and going six innings in a win over No. 21 Missouri. Currently, the Bulldogs are ranked seventh nationally with a 40-14 record (19-9 in the SEC). They are wrapping up the regular season with an SEC series against Alabama at Foley Field. Locey will make his next start tonight.
The award, sponsored by Diamond, will be presented later this summer by the CBF.
“Taking a pool of thousands of Division I pitchers down to a list of only 15 semifinalists is always very difficult,” said Brian Melakian, award co-chair. “These pitchers have put together incredible seasons to distinguish themselves as the best in the nation.”
“The quality of this year’s class is incredible,” award co-chair Chris Snead said. “There are so many pitchers playing at an extremely high level across all conferences, and that makes our selection that much more difficult.”
The semifinalist in alphabetical order are: Jake Agnos (ECU), Chris Clements (Portland), Trenton Denholm (UC-Irvine), Reid Detmers (Louisville), Brandon Eisert (Oregon State), Ryan Garcia (UCLA) M.D. Johnson (Dallas Baptist), George Kirby (Elon), Tony Locey (Georgia), Alex Manoah (West Virginia), Reeves Martin (UNO), Ethan Small (Miss. State), Noah Song (Navy), Mason Studstill (Fla. Gulf Coast) and Jacob Wallace (Connecticut).
For more information on the Pitcher of the Year Award or the College Baseball Hall of Fame’s Night of Champions, visit www.collegebaseballhall.org.