SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – For the second time in 2016, MSU senior Spencer Johnson has been selected by Collegiate Baseball as one of its Louisville Slugger National Players of the Week after a red-hot four-game stretch that included four home runs last week. Additionally, Johnson was cited for Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week recognition after hitting .438 and driving in 12 runs on the week.
Johnson, who also earned the same national honor from Collegiate Baseball on March 7, helped the Bears to a 3-1 week by going 7-for-16 and slugging 1.313 from April 5-9. Most notably, Johnson homered three times in MSU’s 18-11 win vs. Kansas last Wednesday (April 6), belting a first-inning grand slam, a three-run shot as part of a five-run fourth inning and a two-run blast in the seventh to become the first Bear to go deep three times in a game since Jon Hale accomplished the feat on April 20, 1999 against Pittsburg State. The senior outfielder’s nine runs batted-in also matched the single-game totals of Matt Brewer (April 20, 1989) and Brad Kennedy (May 16, 1996) for the second-best tally in program history.
Johnson’s mammoth performance represented the eighth three-homer day in school history and preceded another three-hit effort as part of the Bears’ 8-3 MVC-opening win at Bradley on Friday (April 8). The Springfield, Mo., product launched his MVC-leading 13th home run of the season to help build a two-run MSU lead in the second inning, then drove home a key insurance run with a ninth-inning double that turned a 4-3 lead into a two-run cushion.
In addition to sharing the Valley lead and ranking second nationally in homers with fellow Bear Jake Burger, Johnson sits atop the league leaderboard in slugging (.765). He also rates among the conference’s top 10 in on-base percentage (.449), runs scored (33), hits (37), RBIs (42), triples (2), walks (28), sacrifice flies (3) and total bases (88).
Ranked No. 16 in this week’s Collegiate Baseball’s NCAA Division I poll, Missouri State returns home to renew their in-state rivalry with Missouri Tuesday (April 12), when the Bears and Tigers meet for a 6:35 p.m. game, which has been designated as the MSU Alumni Association’s Alumni Night at Hammons Field. Fans will have the option of choosing from the `Ground Ball' ticket package, which includes a lower-level reserved seats for $4 (adults) and $2 for children ages 2-12, or the `Grand Slam' ticket package that includes an upper-level reserved seat, access to an exclusive pre-game buffet, a Missouri State grocery cooler bag and a ticket voucher for game ticket to any of the Bears' final three home games of the season vs. Illinois State (May 19-21), all for $18.
Alumni Night ticket packages are available now through 5 p.m. Monday (April 11) from the MSU Athletics Box Office at JQH Arena, or via phone at (417) 836-7678 or toll-free at (888) 476-7849 using promotional code "MSU4122016". Additional information on Alumni Night activities or tickets, contact the MSU Alumni Association at (417) 836-5654.
