Georgia Baseball pitcher Emerson Hancock was named one of the semifinalists for the Golden Spikes Award. USA Baseball announced it on May 15.
Emerson Hancock became the next Georgia baseball player to be named a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award.
Hancock currently holds a 7-2 record with his next start slated to be on Saturday for the final game between Alabama. He has a 1.31 ERA and is one of 25 semifinalists.
The Golden Spikes award goes to the top amateur baseball player in the country each year. Since 2013, USA Baseball has partnered with the Rod Dedeaux Foundation to host the award.
Hancock is a 6-4, 215-pound sophomore pitcher from Cairo, Georgia. He is the fourth Dawg in school history to be named a semifinalist.
The other three were Gordon Beckham, who played shortstop, in 2008. Pitcher Joshua Fields was also a finalist in 2008. The most recent came in 2009 when Rich Poythress, a first baseman was a semifinalist.
Hancock is No. 1 in the country with fewest hits allowed per nine innings with 4.4 and WHIP at 0.73.
He is No. 5 for his ERA as well and has been one of Georgia’s aces this season. Hancock has 11 starts this season pitching 75.2 innings. He has 81 strikeouts so far and only 18 walks.
According to Georgia’s website, after the semifinalists get announced, a ballot will be sent to the Gold Spikes Award voting body consisting of national baseball media, select professional baseball personnel, previous Golden Spikes Award winners, and select USA Baseball staff. This group totals of over 200 voters.
Starting on May 15 through May 26, each of those 200 voting members will select three athletes from the Golden Spikes Award ballot.
However, the fans can vote as well. Starting on May 15 through June 10, the voting body and fans will be able to cast their final vote for the Golden Spikes Award winner.
Fan voting will be open on GoldenSpikesAward.com. Selections made by the voting body will carry a 95 percent weight of the athletes total. The fans’ votes will account for the final five percent.
Follow the Golden Spikes Award on Twitter @USAGoldenSpikes and learn more on the website.
Hancock will find out if he’s a finalist on May 29. If selected, he will find out if he wins on June 14. The 42nd Gold Spikes Award ceremony will take place at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Neb.