Following a stellar week on the mound, Longhorns star Sam Cozart is adding to his trophy Case. On Monday, the talented right-hander was named the Southeastern Conference Co-Freshman of the Week. He shared the honor with Auburn’s Mason McCraine.
Against Alabama, Cozart was a save machine, adding two to his resume. The North Carolina native started his week by retiring 12 of the 13 batters he faced in a scoreless four-inning outing. Against one of the Longhorns SEC rivals, Cozart added eight strikeouts to his resume.
Less than 24 hours later, Cozart was back in action, frustrating hitters. In his second appearance of the series, he punched out the side to seal a Longhorns 3-1 win. The Wesleyan Christian High Alum also etched his name into the history books, striking out three batters, which gave Texas 19 on the day. That matched most in program history in a nine-inning game.
Through 13 games this season, Cozart owns a 1.83 ERA while recording six saves. He has been one of the Longhorns’ best pitchers and shown no signs of slowing down. That has been a welcome sign for a Texas team that also features elite starters in Dylan Volantis and Ruger Riojas. With that trio dominating the Longhorns’ rotation has been one of the best in the nation.
While the regular season is far from over, Texas has been popular when it comes to weekly awards. Four other players have won SEC honors in Temo Beccera, Anthony Pack Jr., Volantis, and Riojas. That list should continue to grow as the playoffs inch closer.
Regardless of how the season ends, Cozart has shown why he is one of the best freshmen not only in the SEC but in the country.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Longhorns baseball star Sam Cozart earns SEC honors
Reporting by Jamie Gatlin, Longhorns Wire / Longhorns Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
