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Sean Johnson claims a JUCO-ball crown

Durangoan wins a national title before moving on to Ole Miss

Sean Johnson attended Iowa Western Community College for a few reasons, but winning a Junior College World Series championship was at the top of the priority list.

Mission accomplished.

Johnson, a Durango native, helped send the Iowa Western Community College Reivers to their third junior college national title in five years by winning the JUCO World Series on May 31 in Grand Junction.

“Just the feeling we got from celebrating in the dog pile and by bringing home the third title in five years, it was an outstanding feeling,” Johnson said. “It felt great to do it for coach (Marc Rardin) and for each other, it was a great experience.”

Johnson, a 6-7 right-handed pitcher who grew up in Durango before playing high school baseball, golf and hockey at Fountain Valley High School on the Front Range, pitched a shutout May 28 against Miami Dade College. The Reivers won the game 10-0 as Johnson hurled five scoreless innings. He allowed four hits and one walk while striking out four. Of his 76 pitches, 56 of them went for strikes.

The best part about toeing the rubber that game was looking into the stands and seeing his family, Johnson said.

“Looking into the stands and seeing my parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, it helped me calm my nerves,” Johnson said. “I’ve only ever played hockey in front of big crowds like that, and that is a different experience because hockey is a faster game, and there’s not as much time to think. When you are the pitcher and have 8,600 eyes on you, it gets nerve-wracking. I fought through it and ended up doing better than most people.”

Three days later, the Reivers beat the same Miami Dade College Sharks 17-5 to claim the national title.

Johnson finished his sophomore season with a 4.15 earned-run average in 69-1/3 innings pitched. He gave up 63 hits, walked 24 batters and hit four batters with pitches while striking out 82. He had two shutouts.

He finished his freshman season with a 5-2 record and a 2.21 ERA. In 41 innings, he had 42 strikeouts and 16 walks.

With a fastball registering 94 mph on radar guns, Johnson was happy with his sophomore season and ability to develop his control and secondary pitches.

“I actually did struggle a little bit, but I wouldn’t say it was with throwing strikes as much as throwing pitcher’s strikes,” Johnson said. “I’m learning more about the game and about commanding my pitches. Maturity-wise, this year helped me a lot as far as coming into my own.”

After his freshman campaign, Johnson did enough to earn a scholarship offer from Mississippi as well as a call from the Chicago Cubs in the 31st round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. He opted to return to Iowa Western Community College and verbally committed to Ole Miss for his junior season.

After the JUCO World Series victory, Johnson paid a visit to Chicago for a pre-draft workout with the Cubs.

“It went really well, and the Cubs really like me,” Johnson said. “I asked for more money than I was going to get for my talent, so they pretty much marked me as unsignable, and I’m fine with going to school next year.”

Just like that, it was official: Johnson will play for Ole Miss, who reached the College World Series in Omaha by winning its super regional Monday night.

“It is going to be great going there; going in there after winning a national championship, I think it will make the process easier and help me know what it takes to get to Omaha next year,” Johnson said. “I have the experience and have seen what it takes.”

Johnson hopes to add a few more pounds to help him hold up as a starting pitcher throwing long innings. The Cubs also told him they see him as a starting pitcher.

Johnson is back in Durango for a week visiting his parents Lori and Michael Johnson. He will travel to Mississippi on June 18 to join the Rebels for their 2015 season in the Division I Southeastern Conference.

“It is nice to be back in Durango after traveling so much the last few weeks,” Johnson said. “But it is right back out in a week.”

jlivingston@durangoherald.com



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