Mountaineer Softball Team

Bobb Johnston
(Press Release 5-15-06)

Chasing History

Marjorie Johnson has taken Junior College softball by storm. Johnson has her sights set on the National Junior College Athletic Association All-Time Strikeout record of 454 held by Kristen Keyes of Central Florida in 2001.

Johnson is setting on 447. Keyes recorded her total in 264 innings while Johnson has notched her in 230 innings. Maintaining her average of 1.94 K’s per inning would place the Bishop Kelley product #1 All-Time in that category as well. With a 0.183 ERA Johnson is on pace to shatter that All-Time record as well, currently held by Amy Perry in 1997 with Chattanooga State at 0.230.

Johnson transferred to Eastern Oklahoma State College this year after attending Oklahoma State University last season. Johnson was 23-5 and named second team All Big Twelve while with the Cowgirls. She also defeated UCLA, last season’s national runner-ups.

Besides being 32-2 in the circle this season Johnson has batted in the top of the order all season for the Lady Mountaineers, hitting .410 with 18 homeruns, 3 triples and 68 RBI’s. Her 18 homeruns currently rank her tied for 4th in the nation.

Johnson has notched 15 no hitters and 20 shutouts in 34 games. When not pitching she plays first base.

Johnson has no problems handing the ball off to Eastern’s other member of the pitching staff, Karla Pittman. Pittman, a native of North Canton, OH, set the then school record for wins, going 30-12 last season and leading the Wilburton school to the national tournament. Pittman has won 30 games again this year only to see the new record set by Johnson.

Johnson and Pittman will lead the Lady Mountaineers into the National Tournament May 18-20 in Plant City, FL. Eastern opens play on Thursday as the #7 seed and will face #10 seed Blinn, TX. Johnson should break the strikeout record in her first game. She has averaged 13.6 strikeouts per game this season.

On April 20 against Murray State College in a home game she broke the school record of 354 strikeouts. Sarah Seagraves of Edmond set the previous mark in 2004 and has gone on to set school records for strikeouts and wins at New Mexico State.

The Region II record fell to Johnson in the opening round of the Regional Tournament May 5 at Hall of Fame Stadium against Rose State. Seminole’s Amanda Cave held that distinction with 415 strikeouts in 1999.

Johnson has long been a fixture of pitching excellence in Oklahoma, being named one of the five top players her senior season receiving the Ferguson Jenkins Award at the Warren Spahn Banquet in Guthrie. Also attaining that honor that night was fellow teammate Brittney Day of Inola. Day plays second base for the Lady Mountaineers.

Johnson pitched for Tulsa Bishop Kelley in high school and for the Tulsa Eagles, an ASA Gold team, during the summers Johnson pitched the Eagles to the ASA Gold National Championship in 2004 in Beaumont, TX. Tulsa native Dave Simmons helped develop her pitching style and has been a mentor to her.