Last week, Georgia Southern University senior starter Justin Hess earned 2013 All Southern Conference Tournament Team honors.

Hess is not new to reaching his peak performance when it is needed most. As a junior he was named to the 2012 All SoCon Tournament Team while posting a 1.86 ERA and a 1-0 record in two appearances and sending GSU to the title game against Samford University.

As a freshman at GSU, Hess appeared in 13 games (seven starts). He posted a 1-1 record with 27 strikeouts over 37.2 innings with a 4.06 ERA. Hess made his debut against Holy Cross College and tossed a scoreless inning in relief.

He went his first 10.1 innings before he allowed an earned run in his college career, which came against then No.14 University of South Carolina. He recorded his first collegiate victory in a start against Alcorn State University, throwing 7 innings and allowing two runs on six hits.

Hess’ sophomore campaign saw an increase in his workload. He worked in 18 appearances (five starts) and struck out 45 batters over 52 innings of work while compiling a 3-2 record.

Hess, however, saw an increase in his ERA as it rose to a 6.58 mark to end the season. Hess recorded victories over in-conference rivals Wofford College and Western Carolina University, with the third coming against Marshall University.

In his junior season, Hess made 14 starts over 17 appearances, recording a 5-3 record.

In 79 innings, Hess struck out 85 batters and posted an ERA of 3.76. He threw a season-high seven innings in a start against WCU and struck out a career-high of 12 batters in a start against Davidson College.

As a senior, Hess continued where his junior season left off. He made 23 appearances with 13 starts. Hess posted a 5-6 record with a 3.69 ERA and an impressive 120 strikeouts over 95 innings pitched, while also recording four saves on the season.

Hess’ brightest spot in the 2013 regular season came when he threw a complete-game shutout against SoCon rival College of Charleston on May 23.

Hess’ GSU career has come to an end. Compiling a 14-12 record over 263.2 innings and 277 strikeouts in a competitive Division I conference is a solid career to be able to hang your hat on.

The two SoCon Tournament honors he earned in his junior and senior seasons are a great way to cap off a career for a successful GSU pitcher.