June 6, 2007

SAN DIEGO - San Diego State pitcher Stephen Strasburg has been named a 2007 Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball magazine. He was one of five relief pitchers nationwide named by the publication on its annual squad of first-year Division I college players.

Strasburg, a native of San Diego (West Hills HS), emerged as one of the top closers in the Mountain West Conference in his first season of collegiate ball, earning co-Freshman of the Year honors and second-team all-MWC accolades.

The freshman right-hander finished the 2007 campaign with seven saves and a 2.43 earned run average. His save total was second-best in the conference and tied for the seventh-most in a season by an SDSU pitcher. Among his save victims this past season were NCAA Tournament participants UCLA, Michigan and University of San Diego.

Strasburg averaged well over a strikeout an inning with 47 Ks in his 37 innings of work over 25 appearances and opponents hit just .141 against him. He was named Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Week on April 8 after picking up a win and a save in two games against New Mexico on April 5-6.

He is the first Aztec to be named a Freshman All-American since Brock Ungricht earned the honor in 2004. Strasburg is currently playing summer ball with the Torrington Twisters of the New England Collegiate Baseball League with SDSU teammates Garett Green and Trevor Clausen.