Justin Bench: 3 things to know about the Ole Miss baseball infielder, outfielder

Justin Bench knew how to win baseball games as he entered Ole Miss.

His final two years of high school the baseball team went 60-1 overall at Calvary Christian High School in Clearwater, Florida.

The team set a Florida state record by winning 60 consecutive games, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Calvary Christian went 30-0 and won a state title in 2017, and it started 30-0 in 2018 before losing in the Class 4A state title game.

According to his Ole Miss bio, Bench hit .391 as a high school senior.

Here is some basic information about Justin Bench:

  • Full name: Justin C. Bench

  • Height: 6 feet, 0 inches

  • Weight: 185 pounds

  • Age: 22 years old

  • Birthday: Aug. 28, 1999

  • Hometown: Redington Beach, Florida

  • High school:  Calvary Christian High School in Clearwater, Florida

  • Parents: Jill and John Bench

Find out three more things to know about Ole Miss baseball player Justin Bench.

Is Justin Bench related to Johnny Bench?

Reds Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench speaks as the Cincinnati Reds re-opened the Hall of Fame and Museum following an extensive $5.5 million renovation, Friday, March 29, 2019, at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.
Reds Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench speaks as the Cincinnati Reds re-opened the Hall of Fame and Museum following an extensive $5.5 million renovation, Friday, March 29, 2019, at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.

Baseball Hall of Famer Johnny Bench has three sons, according to a 2018 story by The Palm Beach Post. Their names are Bobby, Justin and Josh.

But the Justin Bench that plays for Ole Miss is not the son of former Cincinnati Reds catcher Johnny Bench. The son of Johnny Bench whose name is Justin Bench was 12 years old in 2018 — so about six years younger than the Ole Miss version.

Though Ole Miss' Justin Bench's dad is named John Bench Jr. and his grandpa was John C. Bench Sr., neither played in MLB. John C. Bench Sr. was a native of Bluefield, West Virginia, and he died on Sept. 28, 2021, according to a Tampa Bay Times obituary.

So if Ole Miss baseball player Justin Bench is related to MLB star Johnny Bench, it's not a close relation.

Johnny Bench: In Palm Beach Gardens with his children, Johnny Bench far removed from Big Red Machine

Justin Bench led NCAA in hit by pitch

Mississippi infielder/outfielder Justin Bench (8) during an NCAA baseball game on Thursday, March 17, 2022, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
Mississippi infielder/outfielder Justin Bench (8) during an NCAA baseball game on Thursday, March 17, 2022, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)

Justin Bench was the NCAA Baseball Division I leader in hit by pitch for the 2021 season. Bench was hit by a pitch 29 times during the 2021 season.

Bench didn't manage to duplicate leading the NCAA in 2022, but he was hit more than any other player in the Southeastern Conference during 2022. Entering the College World Series, Bench had been hit 17 times during the 2022 season, according to Ole Miss.

Getting hit by pitches is a recent development for Bench. He wasn't hit by any pitches during his 13 games as a freshman in 2019. He was hit five times in 17 games during the 2020 season.

Justin Bench's sister ran cross country, track in college

Jun 12, 2022; Hattiesburg, MS, USA; Ole Miss players Kevin Graham and Tim Elko and Justin Bench hold a College World Series sign after Game 2 of a NCAA Super Regional game at Pete Taylor Park. Ole Miss won, 5-0, and advanced to the College World Series. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 12, 2022; Hattiesburg, MS, USA; Ole Miss players Kevin Graham and Tim Elko and Justin Bench hold a College World Series sign after Game 2 of a NCAA Super Regional game at Pete Taylor Park. Ole Miss won, 5-0, and advanced to the College World Series. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Justin Bench's older sister, Jordyn Bench, ran cross country and track and field at Southeastern University, a private Christian school in Lakeland, Florida. Southeastern competes at the NAIA level.

She ran there for three years from 2014-17.

As a sophomore in 2016, she placed third in the Sun Conference Track and Field Championship meet with a 10-kilometer time of 42 minutes, 41 seconds. She improved her place and took second place at the 2017 Sun Conference Track and Field Championships in the 10,000 as a junior with a time of 45:10.

After getting married in 2017, she now goes by Jordyn Endrulat.

Here's more Justin Bench news:

Ole Miss's Justin Bench during an NCAA baseball game on Sunday, June 5, 2022 in Coral Gables, Fla. (AP Photo/Doug Murray)
Ole Miss's Justin Bench during an NCAA baseball game on Sunday, June 5, 2022 in Coral Gables, Fla. (AP Photo/Doug Murray)

Check out the Justin Bench bio on the Ole Miss baseball website.

Erik Hall is the lead digital producer for sports with the USA Today Network. You can find him on Twitter @HallErik

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Justin Bench: 3 facts on the Ole Miss baseball infielder, outfielder

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