Will Bednar Chosen as SEC Newcomer of the Week

The MSU right-hander hurled eight shutout innings against Alabama this past Friday night.

Will Bednar's brilliant showing from last Friday night has been rewarded even further.

The Mississippi State pitcher was chosen as the Southeastern Conference Newcomer of the Week on Monday after Bednar led the Bulldogs to a 7-0 win over Alabama on Friday, hurling eight shutout innings against the Crimson Tide. The Newcomer of the Week award was added for the 2021 season and is awarded weekly to the top performer in the SEC that was a freshman during the shortened 2020 season.

Bednar was superb in his showing in Tuscaloosa. The right-hander threw a career high 112 pitches in his career-best eight innings of work to earn his sixth win of the season – all coming in SEC play. In eight innings, Bednar allowed multiple base runners in just one inning and only one baserunner made it to third base in the game. Bednar surrendered just three hits and two walks while striking out 11 as he baffled Alabama bats all night long.

"When Will Bednar does that, it's a pretty good chance to win there," State head coach Chris Lemonis said Friday in his postgame interview on the MSU Radio Network. ""He had a good fastball and good slider. And every week that we go, his changeup is getting better. [Alabama] had a blend of switch hitters and left-handed hitters in the lineup and [Bednar] had to use his changeup a little bit more than normal and it was pretty good."

Bednar is the third MSU player to earn an SEC Newcomer of the Week honor this season. Kamren James and Landon Sims have also earned the award. Overall this season, the Bulldogs have tallied seven weekly awards from the league office – a new program high, topping the 2019 team that won six SEC weekly awards. 

The other MSU award winners this season have included two Pitcher of the Week honors for Christian MacLeod, as well as one for Sims. Also, Jackson Fristoe picked up a Freshman of the Week honor earlier this season.

Mississippi State pitcher Will Bednar was selected as the SEC Newcomer of the Week on Monday for his performance this past Friday against Alabama. (File photo courtesy of Mississippi State athletics)

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