Athlete Spotlight of the Week: Charlie Johnson
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COURTESY// @sonomaseawolves on Instagram
Johnson has a 5-0 record on the season with a 0.38 ERA.
On Monday, Mar. 20, freshman Charlie Johnson was named the CCAA (California Collegiate Athletic Association) Pitcher of the Week for her outstanding performance against Cal State Monterey Bay.
Johnson helped the Seawolves pick up two wins against CSUMB and did not allow a single earned run over 14 innings during the doubleheader. She gave up only 10 hits and two walks and earned three strikeouts.
On Mar. 17 Johnson entered the game in the second inning and did not allow a single run over the next six innings, helping the Seawolves come back from a two-run deficit to win the game 6-4.
When asked about what the Seawolves have been doing well this season, Johnson said, “I feel like this team always fights back when the game gets tough. We all share the same goal of throwing the first punch of the game. Even if we don’t throw the first punch and we are behind in the game, we seem to use each other for support in fighting back to jump back on top.”
Johnson has not allowed a run through 24 consecutive innings and currently leads the CCAA, ranking fourth in the NCAA Division II with a 0.47 ERA.
Johnson said, on achieving this title, “As a freshman, this achievement is a huge accomplishment for me and it definitely gives me a boost of confidence. This is also a huge step forward for my career.”
The freshman became the second Seawolf to earn CCAA Pitcher of the Week this year, joining her teammate Nichole Sarra, who earned the title on Feb. 20.
Johnson continued, “I credit this performance to all the work I’ve put in during bullpens within practices. I’ve also gotten a lot of support from my other teammates and Coach Bridges to help me find this confidence in my abilities.”
Johnson said that her goal for the season was to find a routine in warmups and in her game to improve her own play. She added, “Positive self-talk has helped me prepare and has given me confidence throughout the game.”
With their impressive performance against Monterey Bay, the Seawolves moved up to thirteenth in the NCAA Division II rankings. These rankings are determined by a committee of 16 NCAA Division II head coaches with two representing each of the NCAA’s eight regions.
The Seawolves stayed dominant with a four-game sweep against Cal Poly Humboldt on Friday and Saturday. SSU shut out Humboldt 8-0 in the final game of the trip with an impressive performance by the senior pitcher, Nichole Sarra.
The Seawolves’ record now sits at 22-4 on the season and 16-3 within their conference. Their 11-1 record at home and seven-game win streak are great signs of the Seawolves’ success this season.
This weekend, the Seawolves will take on Western Oregon University on Friday in the Tournament of Champions, hosted by Stanislaus State in Turlock, Calif. The Seawolves will be looking to stay hot and keep their winnig streak alive in preparation for the playoffs next month.
