James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
2016 Baseball Roster
Roster

Jersey Number 11
Ben Garner
- Year:
- Redshirt Senior
- Position:
- Pitcher
- Ht./Wt.:
- 6-0 / 185
- B/T:
- R/R
- Hometown:
- Burke, Va.
- High School:
- Paul VI
- Major:
- Kinesiology
Career Highs
Innings: 6.0, Towson 5/19/12
Strikeouts: 9, Longwood 2/20/13
2015-16 as a Redshirt Senior:
- CAA All-Academic Team
- CAA Pitcher of the Week [3/28]
- JMU's premier closer, Garner led the team with eight saves
- Fifth in the CAA in saves (8)
- Compiled a 1-3 record and a 3.63 ERA
- Held opposing hitters to a .207 batting average, the best mark of any JMU pitcher
- Third on the team with 49 strikeouts in just 39 and two thirds innings of work
- Held opponents scoreless for 11 and one third innings straight from 4/15-5/14
- Threw eight scoreless relief innings in a 7-6, 19-inning marathon win over Northeastern, striking out seven batters and scattering four hits [3/25]
- CAA Commissioner's Academic Award
2014-2015 as a Senior:
- Fall Semester Dean's List
- JMU Athletics Director Scholar-Athlete
- Sat out season due to injury
2013-2014 as a Junior:
- JMU Athletics Director Scholar-Athlete
- Two scoreless innings with four strikeouts in second game of Binghamton doubleheader for first career save
- 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief in win over Rhode Island
- In lopsided loss to Cornell, limited Big Red to one earned run in four innings
- 2 1/3 innings in Hofstra opener striking out four with two hits allowed
2012-2013 as a Sophomore:
- Struck out a career-high nine batters in just four innings in season debut vs. Longwood
- Allowed an unearned run in 3 2/3 innings with four strikeouts at VMI
- Two scoreless innings of relief in middle game of ODU series
- Tossed 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief with three strikeouts to pick up his first win as JMU rallied at Radford
- Out with injury since mid-April
2011-2012 as a freshman:
- JMU Athletics Director Scholar-Athlete
- 2 1/3 innings in start against Longwood in JMU debut
- 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief with three strikeouts against Mount St. Mary's
- One scoreless inning of work with two strikeouts against Radford
- Two scoreless innings of relief at Maryland
- Worked career-high 5 2/3 innings at Hofstra with five runs allowed but only two earned
- Tossed three scoreless innings in the 11th, 12th and 13th to earn first collegiate win at VMI, ran streak to 2 earned runs allowed in 10 2/3 innings of relief (1.69 ERA) to drop overall ERA nearly three runs
Before JMU:
- Played for head coach Billy Emerson and Paul VI Catholic High School
- Panthers were Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association state runner up in 2011 while winning state titles in 2008 and 2009 and reaching the semifinals in 2010
- Paul VI was also champion of the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) in 2008 and 2009 while also winning the Southeastern Baseball Classic each year
- Four year Academic Scholar Athlete
- In 2010 recorded a 2.35 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings
- Named team's Player and Pitcher of the Year while also earning WCAC First Team All-Conference accolades
- Also competed summer 2011 for American Legion Post 1976 with a selection to the Northern Virginia American Legion All-Star Team
- Recorded a 2.00 ERA with 35 strikeouts in 27 innings for Post 1976 while also hitting .386 with nine doubles and 24 RBIs
Personal:
- Son of Connie and Fred Garner
- Brother, former JMU catcher Brett Garner (2006-10), and sister, Kate Gross, each attended JMU
- Mother was a collegiate diver at Niagara University (N.Y.)
- Plans to teach and coach at the high school level
- Enjoys guitar, tennis and golf
- Kinesiology major with a coaching minor
- Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representative
- Overcoming Barriers mentor
- Tennis coach at Old Keene Mill Swim and Racquet
- Camp leader at Rec-PAC
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