March 1, 2010
ARLINGTON, Texas - Jason Mitchell's record-breaking performance on Friday has earned him a National Player of the Week honor as The Collegiate Baseball Newspaper announced Monday that Mitchell was named one of its two Louisville Slugger National Players of the Week. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi's Trey Hernandez, also of the Southland Conference, was the other player named a national player of the week.
Mitchell becomes the second Maverick in two seasons to earn the national honor, following Nathan Long, who was tabbed a Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week on March 30, 2009.
Mitchell, a senior from Phoenix, Ariz., broke a school and Southland Conference record with 18 strikeouts against Missouri State last Friday. Mitchell carried a no-hitter through 8.2 innings and finished the game pitching 9.0 innings, allowing no runs and one walk while throwing 134 pitches (85 strikes).
His 18 strikeouts broke the UTA all-time record (previously 16 set by Roger Lancaster in 1997) and Southland Conference all-time record (previously 17 set by Lamar's Clay Hensley in 2002).
Mitchell became the first Maverick ever to carry a no-hitter through 8.2 innings. There have been five no-hitters in the history of UTA baseball, all coming in 7.0 inning games. The last UTA no-hitter was in 1983 (Duane Mitchell, at Baylor).
Mitchell struck out at least two hitters in every inning he pitched except for the eighth inning (struck out one). He fanned the first two batters in the ninth inning before giving up a single up the middle - which ended the no-hit bid - and then struck out a third batter to end the ninth inning. Mitchell's previous career-high in strikeouts was 6 (vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 5/3/09).
UT Arlington reliever Adam Boydston took over for Mitchell in the 10th inning while throwing the final five innings of the game to pick up the win. Boydston struck out a career best eight batters. Between Mitchell and Boydston, UT Arlington pitchers struck out 26 batters in the game which tied an NCAA all-time record for most strikeouts by a pitching staff in a single game. It had only happened twice before.
Previous Collegiate Baseball Newspaper/Louisville Slugger National Players of the Week:
Jason Mitchell - March 1, 2010
Nathan Long - March 30, 2009
Ryan Roberts - March 10, 2003
