Georgia sophomore right-hander Emerson Hancock has been named the Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Week, the league office announced Monday.
A 6-4, 215-pound native of Cairo, Ga., Hancock tied his career high in going eight shutout innings in a 3-0 win over No. 21 Missouri Thursday. He registered 11 strikeouts, no walks and allowed just three hits in beating the Tigers. He retired 19 of the final 20 hitters he faced. On the year, he is 7-2 with an SEC-leading 1.04 Earned Run Average (ERA) spanning 69 innings with 77 strikeouts. He is on the Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List as one of the nation’s top standouts.
Hancock is part of a Bulldog staff that leads the nation in ERA (2.57), Fewest Hits Allowed Per Nine Innings (5.70) and WHIP (Walks & Hits Per Nine Innings Pitched) at 1.04. Hancock ranks fourth nationally in ERA and Fewest Hits Allowed Per Nine Innings and first in WHIP.
Hancock, along with sophomore shortstop Casey Martin and freshmen pitchers Cole Henry (LSU) and Connor Noland (Arkansas) were honored by the SEC. Martin was the Player of the Week while Henry and Noland were tabbed Co-Freshman of the Week.
Georgia (33-8), now ranked No. 4 in the latest D1Baseball.com top 25 poll, returns to action Tuesday when it faces No. 11 Georgia Tech (27-13) at SunTrust Park in a game to benefit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. First pitch is slated for 7:02 p.m. and be streamed by ACC Network Extra and available via the Georgia Bulldog Sports Network.
