Two Bulldogs Receive Preseason All-America Honors
Two Samford standout baseball players picked up honors from Baseball’s Preseason All-America teams for the 2021 season when the publication released the teams on Tuesday morning.
Second baseman Brooks Carlson was named to the first team, while pitcher Sam Strickland earned third team honors.
In a shortened 2020 season that saw the Bulldogs complete a total of 20 games, Carlson finished second in the nation with a batting average of .500 (25-of-50). These impressive stats included four doubles, three homers and 19 RBIs.
Carlson led the Southern Conference in batting average, and he tied for the league lead in hits with 25. His 19 RBIs were good for third and he ranked fourth in total bases (38).
In 2020, Strickland went 3-0 in four pitching appearances, posting an impressive 1.17 ERA. With 30 strikeouts and just one walk, it is safe to say that Strickland is building toward an impressive campaign in 2021.
Strickland ranked fourth in the Southern Conference in fewest runs allowed (4), and he tied for fourth in the SoCon in wins (3). He also ranked fifth in the league in ERA (1.17), strike outs (30) and strike outs per game (11.74).
The Bulldogs started 2020 in excellent form, finishing with a record of 13-2, and the squad will look to carry momentum into this season’s campaign (that will hopefully last longer than 15 games).