HOOVER, Ala. — Gators left-hander Brian Johnson was struck in the
head in the first inning Saturday in No. 3-seed Florida’s
Southeastern Conference semifinals loss to Georgia, but the
sophomore is in stable condition with a mild concussion after
multiple tests — including a CT scan — came back negative.
Trailing 2-0 with two outs in the first, Johnson threw a wild pitch
that skidded off catcher Mike Zunino’s glove. The SEC Player of the
Year attempted to throw out a runner advancing to second, but the
ball drilled the Gators southpaw in the back of the head two feet
left of the mound and immediately knocked him unconscious.
The
scary scene resulted in a lengthy delay as the medical staff and
trainers attended to Johnson, who lied lifeless for several
minutes.
After stabilizing the burley left-hander, Johnson was able to
regain consciousness. According to a UF spokesman, the sophomore
remembered the event once at the hospital and later was
released.
The
Gators (43-16) fell 4-3 to Georgia (31-29), in a must-win game for
the Bulldogs. UGA guaranteed itself a spot in the NCAA Tournament
with the win.
Georgia and Florida square off again at 5:45 for a spot in the SEC
Tournament finals on Sunday.
