Who holds the college strikeout record? Exploring the NCAA record books as LSU's Paul Skenes hunts it

With Paul Skenes closing in on the college baseball strikeout record, it is a great time to showcase what the stat means to the sport – and the players who hold the mark.

One of the signature moments of a baseball game is when that third ball goes past the batter and the umpire lets out an emphatic “Strike three!”

Who has the most punchouts in a season?

Single-season college strikeout record holder: Derek Tatsuno

Paul Skenes has 200 Strikeouts on the Year (2023)

The NCAA record for strikeouts is held by University of Hawaii pitcher Derek Tatsuno.

Tatsuno played just six seasons in the minor leagues, but in 1979 at Hawaii, he struck out 234 batters in one season.

The strikeout record has stood for nearly 50 years, but Paul Skenes may have an outside chance to get near it.

He sits at 200 even after a 12-strikeout performance in Game 1 of the Men’s College World Series.

Paul Skenes nears the College Strikeout Record

Just 34 KOs away, Skenes' dominating performance ensures he will have another start.

It would take a berth into the College World Series finals to give him two more starts and an opportunity. Averaging 17 strikeouts over two more starts would be incredible, but so is a pitcher whose fastball regularly hits triple digits.

Regardless if he etches his name in the record book he is already in rare air.

Tatsuno’s college record came in 174.1 innings. Skenes has 200 in just 114.2 innings. His 15.7 strikeout average over nine innings is 3 more than Tatsuno’s.

In fact, Paul Skenes' number is only one KO off the all-time average mark by Ryan Wagner set in the 2003 season.

Other college strikeout records

ALCS - Kansas City Royals v Baltimore Orioles - Game One

Derek Tatsuno held the career strikeout mark (541) for nearly two decades before John Powell from Auburn blew past those numbers in his three-year collegiate career.

John Powell’s 602 KOs between 1955-58 is a collegiate record that will most likely never be bested. However, there is one more record that is even more unbreakable than Powell's.

In 1971, Buddy Schulz struck out 26 batters in a single game. Of 27 possible outs, Shulz struck out the side for nearly nine straight innings. The University of Miami pitcher achieved this feat against Wright State.

When is the next time we can see Paul Skenes chase the strikeout record?

LSU plays again on Monday against Wake Forest. After Skenes threw 123 pitches on Saturday against Tennessee, LSU would prefer to have Skenes, a Friday night starter, not pitch again until the CWS finals start on Saturday. Ideally, that would take sweeping bracket play in three games. Any loss, though, could force the Tigers to play four or five games to reach the finals. In that scenario, Jay Johnson may call on the Dick Howser Trophy winner on Wednesday or Thursday.