| Benji Johnson |
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AS A SOPHOMORE (2006)
One of the top power hitters in the ACC • Ranked second at Carolina and fifth in the league with 14 home runs • Played in 65 games and made 52 starts at catcher and designated hitter • Also drove in a career-best 44 runs, hit .273 (57-for-209) and tallied two doubles and two triples • Slugged .536 to rank third on the team • Notched 15 multi-hit games and 10 multi-RBI games • Hit .328 against left-handed pitching • Posted a season-best nine-game hit streak from April 25 to May 13 • Committed only six errors in 327 chances behind the plate for a .982 fielding percentage • Hit six of 14 home runs and drove in 16 runs in ACC play • Had four hits and five RBI in the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional and picked up a key RBI double in the Super Regional clincher at Alabama June 10 • Went 2-for-5 with a homer and two RBI against Winthrop in the regional finale June 4 • Hit a two-run home run against Cal State Fullerton in the CWS opener June 16 • Posted four three-hit games on the season, including two in ACC play (Virginia and Virginia Tech) • Also drove in a career-best three runs on four occasions • Equaled a UNC school record with two triples against Virginia Tech April 16 • Recorded first career multi-homer game at Duke April 28 • Hit five home runs over a five-game span from April 26-May 9 • Named ACC Player of the Week May 1 after tallying four home runs and eight RBI, as well as a .471 average and five runs scored over a five-game stretch • Also named Carolina's male Carlyle Cup MVP after tallying six hits, three home runs and five RBI in a series sweep at Duke • Homered twice in the series win at Miami • Went 2-for-3 with a homer and three RBI in the season-opening win over Seton Hall Feb. 17 and went 3-for-3 with a walk-off home run in the 11th inning against George Washington Feb. 25. Summer 2006: Played in just 11 games with the Wilmington Sharks of the Coastal Plain League due to a sprained wrist • Hit .167 with one home run and five RBI • Scored five runs.
AS A FRESHMAN (2005)
Played in 35 games and made 22 starts at catcher • Played outstanding defense, commiting just one error in 167 chances for a .994 fielding percentage • Hit .130 (9-for-69) on the season • Hit three home runs and two doubles, as five of his nine hits were for extra bases • Tallied eight runs batted in and scored eight runs • Went 2-for-4 with his first career home run against Miami April 16 • Hit a pinch-hit two-run homer against Duke April 24 and followed with a solo shot at UNC Wilmington April 26 for home runs in back-to-back games. Summer 2005: Played with the Gastonia Grizzlies of the Coastal Plain League • Played in 24 games and made 21 starts • Hit .203 and drove in eight runs.
NORTHWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
Four-year letterwinner at catcher for coach Ronald Horton at Northwood High School • All-state selection as a junior and senior • Three-time all-conference, four-time all-county and two-time all-region choice • Mid-State 2A MVP in 2004 and member of the league's all-tournament team • Mid-State 2A tournament MVP in 2003 • Selected as an All-America scholar-athlete • As a junior, broke school single-season record with 32 runs batted in and tied the home run record with 10 • As a senior, broke school records with 25 walks and a .605 on-base percentage • Rated fourth overall at both the Impact Baseball and Perfect Game Southeast Showcases in 2003 • Also ran cross country as a freshman • Member of National Honor Society, National Spanish Honor Society and Vocational Honor Society • Active in Spanish Club and Skills USA. Summer 2004: Played his third season with Chapel Hill American Legion Post 6.
PERSONAL
Robert Benjamin Johnson is the son of Bennie and Elsbeth Johnson • Born July 17, 1986, in Chapel Hill • Has one sister • Majoring in exercise and sport science • Favorite movie is "The Sandlot" • Modeled his game after Pudge Rodriguez and Javy Lopez • Favorite pro teams are the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Eagles • Favorite food is chicken • Lists greatest athletic moment as reaching the 2006 College World Series.
JOHNSON'S CAREER BATTING STATISTICS
YEAR G-GS AB R H RBI 2B 3B HR Slg SB BB SO Avg
2005 35-22 69 8 9 8 2 0 3 .290 1-1 8 23 .130
2006 65-52 209 36 57 44 9 2 14 .536 4-6 16 41 .273
Totals 100-74 278 44 66 52 11 2 17 .475 5-7 24 64 .237
