LUBBOCK, Texas -- Over the past 15 years, Oregon State University baseball has become synonymous with elite pitching. The Beavers have turned out some of the best arms the collegiate game has seen, most of whom have gone on to a career in professional baseball.
With what he's proven over the last two seasons, Luke Heimlich should be no different.
The sizzling left-hander entered the 2018 season already recognized as one of the top pitchers in the country with every award known to the game in his pocket. But as good as he was in his junior season, he proved to be equally good in his senior campaign, leading the Beavers to a second-straight College World Series appearance and the seventh trip in school history.
Heimlich's effort and leadership for the Beavers also make him the winner of the 2018 National Pitcher of the Year Award, presented by the College Baseball Foundation.
"The way that he has been dominant all season made Luke an obvious choice for Pitcher of the Year," said Brian Melakian, co-chairman of the Pitcher of the Year Award. "The consistency of his outings has been very impressive and has been an integral part of the great season that Oregon State is having."
The award will be presented by the College Baseball Foundation later this year.
Heimlich was the most dominant pitcher in the country from start to finish. He led the nation with 16 wins, going 16-1 with a 2.32 ERA. In 120.1 innings, he allowed 91 hits and 25 walks while striking out 151 batters and holding opposing offenses to a .211 average.
In his 17 starts entering the College World Series, Heimlich has allowed more than two earned runs just twice and has pitched at least seven innings in his last eight starts. He has struck out 20 or more batters eight times with a season-high 14 strikeouts in back-to-back starts against Stanford and Southern California. In fact, he had a stretch from April 13 to May 24 where he struck out 10 or more batters in seven straight starts.
Heimlich was named a first-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball and earned his second consecutive Pac-12 Conference Pitcher of the Year honor. He is the first pitcher in the conference to win back-to-back Pitcher of the Year honors since 2008-09 and joins Arizona State's Mike Leake and Washington's Tim Lincecum as the only pitchers to earn the award twice since 1999.
For more information on the Pitcher of the Year Award, visit www.mlb.com/college-baseball-hall-of-fame/awards/pitcher-of-the-year.
Past winners:
2017: Steven Gingery - Texas Tech
2016: Eric Lauer - Kent State
2015: Carson Fulmer - Vanderbilt
2014: Aaron Nola - LSU
2013: Jonathan Gray - Oklahoma
2012: Mark Appel - Stanford
2011: Trevor Bauer - UCLA
2010: Alex Wimmers - Ohio State
2009: Stephen Strasburg - San Diego State