Photo courtesy of Northwest Florida State College.
Brian Browning
HHS graduate Brian Browning will play for Ole Miss next year.
Brian Browning, like his Northwest Florida State College team, was nothing short of dominant during the 2015 season.
The sophomore lefty pitcher and 2013 Homewood High School graduate was part of the NWF State team that won the National Junior College World Series on May 30 in Grand Junction, Colorado.
At the national tournament, the Raiders outscored their opponents 53-15. The team finished the 2015 campaign with an overall record of 42-13. In the final do-or-die championship game, NWF State easily defeated McLennan (Texas) 15-1. Coming into the tournament, this was the Raiders’ first appearance in the NJCAA World Series.
The team bonded as the Raiders made the long journey to Colorado for the tournament.
“We had been an underdog heading in the tournament,” Browning said. “We kept a chip on our shoulder, and it was an awesome experience.”
In 12 games during the 2014-2015 season, Browning went 8-3, tossing a total of 66.1 innings, which was third on the team. He also threw three complete games and was third on the team with 55 strikeouts. He finished with a 2.98 ERA, improving on his 3.29 ERA the year before.
Browning’s last start as a junior college player came on May 25 against Iowa Western at Grand Junction. He threw six shutout innings, giving up six hits, striking out five while walking two in the Raiders’ 10-0 win.
On May 10, against Gulf Coast State College, Browning pitched a complete game, allowing only one run on five hits. He struck out 11 and walked four.
Browning’s success on the mound began as a freshman at NW Florida State College in 2013-2014. He received All-Metro Honorable Mention in 2013 and All-Panhandle Conference Honorable Mention in 2014. Browning led the squad in wins (six), innings pitched (68.1) and strikeouts (53). While starting 13 games, he posted a record of 6-1 with two complete games. The Raiders went 27-18 that season.
“Brian made a significant improvement both physically and mentally during his two years in our program,” Raiders head coach Doug Martin said. “He was outstanding for us during our conference and postseason. We have confidence that he will contribute to the Ole Miss program the next two seasons.”
Now a JUCO National Champion, Browning has more to look forward to as he transitions to pitching in the Southeastern Conference. He has signed with the University of Mississippi.
“My dream has always been to play in the SEC. Signing with Ole Miss was exciting. They have some of the top fan support in the country,” he said.
Browning expects to be a starter and will be working out with the team this summer.
Mike Bianco, head baseball coach at Ole Miss, is excited to have Browning join the Rebels.
“We are very excited about Brian and what he will bring to our pitching staff. Obviously, he’s very talented and a winner. We can’t wait to get him in an Ole Miss uniform,” Bianco said.
When reflecting on his time as a pitcher at Homewood High School, Browning acknowledged his coach who supported him through thick and thin.
“I credit a lot of my success to my pitching coach, Keith Brown. He helped me keep my confidence up even when I had a bad start. It was about not letting myself get too down. Keith was always motivating and very supportive of me,” he said.
