BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Former Webster University All-American pitcher Josh Fleming has shown the Midwest League and the Bowling Green Hot Rods why he was fifth-round selection in last year's Major League Baseball Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays.

Fleming, who is scheduled to make his eighth start of the season Friday evening against Lake County (Ohio) at Bowling Green Ballpark, comes into his start Friday having won three of its his first seven decisions this season for Tampa Bay's Class A Midwest League affiliate and has recorded a 3-1 record and is sporting a 1.35 ERA on the year. 

On the season, Fleming, who was the 139th overall pick in last year's MLB Draft, has tossed 40 innings, allowed 28 hits, six runs, six earned runs and has recorded 28 strikeouts and walked just six opposing batters, including just one walk over his last 23 innings and four starts. He has a WHIP of 0.85 and opposing hitters are batting .199 against the 2017 D3Baseball.com Pitcher of the Year. 

Over his last two starts, Fleming is 1-1 with a 1.29 ERA as he has pitched seven innings in each of those starts against Lansing and Fort Wayne and has allowed seven hits, two earned runs, recorded six strikeouts and hasn't walked a batter.

Fleming has pitched six of more innings in five of his seven starts and has struck out five or more batters in three of those seven starts, including a season-high six strikeouts against Great Lakes on May 24. The left-hander also recorded back-to-back five strikeout games in his first two games as a Hot Rod against Burlington and Cedar Rapids. 

While Fleming has been impressive on the mound, so too have the Hot Rods as a team as they enter Friday's second game of the second half sporting a 48-22 record, including going 47-22 and securing a playoff spot after winning the Midwest League's Eastern Division in the first half. The 48-22 record gives Bowling Green the best winning percentage (.686) of any team in minor league baseball. 

The Hot Rods opened the second half of their Midwest League schedule on Thursday evening with a 7-2 home win  over Lake County to extend its franchise-record win streak to 12 consecutive games. It is the second time this season that Bowling Green has had a win streak of 10 or more games. 

Fleming, who is a native of Columbia, Ill., is in his second season of professional baseball after making his debut last summer with the Princeton Rays, Tampa Bay's Rookie league affiliate in the Appalachian League. As a rookie in Princeton, Fleming went 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA as he appeared in 12 games and made nine starts. In 35 innings of work, Fleming allowed 42 hits, 23 runs (21 earned runs), while walking seven and striking 26 and posted a WHIP of 1.40. 

Prior to being drafted in the fifth round by the Tampa Bay Rays, Fleming completed his third and final season with the Gorloks in 2017. As a junior in 2017, Fleming recorded an NCAA Division III leading ERA of 0.68 and was second in Division III in strikeouts with 115 in 92.2 innings of work. In addition, he posted an 8-1 record in helping the Gorloks advance to the NCAA Division III Baseball Regional Tournament.

On the season, Fleming racked up numerous honors, including being named the D3Baseball.com Pitcher of the Year and earning First-Team All-American honors from both D3Baseball.com and ABCA/Rawlings. In addition, he was named the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year, the Central Region Pitcher of the Year and a First-Team All-Central Region selection by both D3Baseball.com and ABCA/Rawlings. 

Fleming set Webster single season marks for ERA and strikeouts and allowed the second lowest batting average for opponents (.165). Additionally, Fleming recorded the lowest career ERA in school history (1.92) and finished second in career strikeouts (251) and fourth in wins (19).