AS A SENIOR IN 2011: Ranked second on the team with 22 appearances after splitting time between the bullpen and starting rotation ... Finished his final year at Penn State with a 2-1 record, three saves, and a 4.37 ERA ... Limited his opponents to a .240 batting average after allowing 41 hits in 47.1 innings of work ... Opened the year as the staff ace and started eight games during the first half of the season ... Allowed just two earned runs during his first four starts, highlighted by 5.2 innings of scoreless ball against NC State on March 4 ... Followed that effort with three shutout innings against Norfolk State during the first game of a doubleheader on March 12 ... Earned his first win of the year and struck out a season-high six batters during five innings of work against Illinois on April 3 ... Converted to a reliever in mid-April and shined in his new role ... Made 12 consecutive appearances out of the bullpen without allowing an earned run ... His scoreless streak spanned 14 innings and ran over a month from April 17 through May 19 ... Kicked off the run with his second victory of the season after firing 2.1 innings of scoreless ball against Purdue on April 17 ... Worked both ends of a doubleheader against Ohio State on April 23, picking up his first save of the year in the nightcap with one shutout inning ... Earned his second save with an impressive effort against Iowa, firing 2.1 innings while striking out five of seven batters on May 7 ... Picked up his final save of the year during a crucial battle against Minnesota on May 15 ... Pitching for the second straight day, he tossed three hitless frames and struck out one to close out a 4-2 victory against the Golden Gophers ... Struck out two during 1.1 innings out of the bullpen against Michigan on May 19 to help preserve a 1-0 victory ... Made his postseason debut against Minnesota during the Big Ten Tournament on May 26, recording two outs against the Gophers.
AS A JUNIOR IN 2010: Enjoyed an up and down season in first Division I action after transferring from junior college (Frank Philips College) ... Hit .207 in 92 at-bats on the season (23 starts) while moving to pitcher mid-season, where he appeared in 11 games (one start) with a 6.75 ERA and a save ... Only allowed 14 hits in 14.2 innings, good for a .275 opponent bating average ... Also struck out 12 ... Recorded one of the team[apos]s three saves on the season ... Impressed in first-career start, going a career-high five innings in the season-finale vs. Michigan (5/22), allowing only five hits and three runs while striking out three. Did not allow a run over his final three frames ... Retired the only batter he faced two days prior (5/20) against the Wolverines ... Tossed a scoreless inning at Minnesota (5/16) ... Struck out a career-high three batters in 1.1 innings vs. Iowa (5/8) ... Pitched a career-high two innings, allowing one run vs. Duquesne (4/20) ... Picked up first-career save along with an infield single vs. Northwestern (4/11) ... Recorded a hit in four straight games, including a pair of hits along with an RBI and run scored in the series finale at Texas State (3/14) ... Extended hitting streak to seven games with second straight 2-for-4 performance against Lamar (3/7). Also stole second base of the season ... Hit safely in both ends of a doubleheader (3/6), going 2-for-4 with a double against Lamar and 1-for-4 with a double, RBI and run scored against Dallas Baptist. Also stole first-career base against the Patriots ... Was 2-for-4 with two runs scored vs. McNeese State (3/5) ... Had one hit in all three games of the Big Ten/BIG EAST Challenge ... Went 1-for-6 with a single and RBI against Notre Dame (2/28) ... Strong game vs. Seton Hall (2/27) with a triple and sacrifice fly. The triple came only two batters into the bottom of the first while the sacrifice fly tied the score in the eighth to force extra innings. Also scored a run ... Recorded a hit in his first Penn State game against Cincinnati (2/26).
FRANK PHILLIPS COLLEGE: Standout performer at Frank Phillips College, capped off with First Team NJCAA All-America honors in June ... Also named WJCAC All-Conference and received All Region V Honors ... Hit .497 with a school-record 16 home runs, 30 doubles, eight triples and 75 RBI in 2009 ... Attended the Texas/New Mexico Junior College All-Star Game in the fall of 2008 ... Voted Frank Phillips College Newcomer of the Year.
SUMMER LEAGUES: A key part of the Texas Collegiate League[apos]s Coppell Copperhead summer league team in 2009 ... Helped lead squad to the season championship behind a team-best 27 RBI ... Finished with a .212 batting average, three home runs, three doubles and a triple.
HIGH SCHOOL: Played high school baseball for the Alamogordo (N.M.) Tigers ... Was an All-District Infielder both junior and senior years ... Additional activities includes calf roping, team roping and fishing.
PERSONAL: Full name is Tyler Heath Johnson ... Born on May 20, 1989 in Alamogordo, N.M. ... Parents are Carl Johnson and Doug and Donnette Nelson ... Brother of Karly Johnson (17) and Meg Nelson (11) ... Majoring in landscape contracting with a design option.
ON CHOOSING PENN STATE: 'I chose Penn State because of the education I can receive while playing in top of the line facilities, along with the great experience I can receive from the coaching staff.'
JOHNSON[apos]S CAREER PITCHING STATISTICS
Year ERA W-L APP GS CG SHO CBO SV IP H R ER BB SO 2B 3B HR BF BAA
2010 6.75 0-0 11 1 0 0 0 1 14.2 14 11 11 11 12 5 2 0 51 .275
2011 4.37 2-1 22 8 0 0 1 3 47.1 41 26 23 33 28 6 0 0 231 .240
Total 4.94 2-1 33 9 0 0 1 4 62.0 55 37 34 44 40 11 2 0 282 .259
JOHNSON[apos]S CAREER HITTING STATISTICS
Year AVG GP-GS AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB SLG BB HBP OBP SB-ATT PO-A-E FLD%
2010 .207 23-22 92 10 19 2 1 0 6 23 .250 4 2 .250 2-4 39-8-1 .979
Total .207 23-22 92 10 19 2 1 0 6 23 .250 4 2 .250 2-4 39-8-1 .979
GETTING TO KNOW HEATH
Nickname: Cowboy
Major & Why: Landscape Design. Penn State has a very good program and I have experience in the field.
Favorite Major League Baseball Player: Ian Kinsler
Favorite Penn State Sport Other Than Baseball: Football
Favorite Athlete (Any Sport): LeBron James
Favorite Pro Team: Atlanta Braves
Favorite Sports Broadcaster: Harry Caray
Favorite Musical Artist: Casey Donahew Band
Favorite Movie: The Hangover
Favorite TV Show: SportsCenter
Favorite Website: Facebook
Favorite Food: Lasagna
Hobbies: Calf Roping, and Team Roping
Childhood Idol: My Granddad
Place I[apos]d Like To Visit: Fiji
If I Had $1 Billion, I Would: Buy a decent size ranch and invest the rest
After Penn State, I Would Like To: Either play baseball for a living, or have a job and a family.