Notes from the Northwoods

Sorry for my inactivity

2007-05-18T07:09:00.000-06:00

My life has gotten too hectic for me to be able to keep this up the way I had planned. Please check out Summer Ball for the latest news on the summer collegiate baseball leagues and thanks for checking out my site.

Green Bay

2007-04-21T22:39:00.000-06:00

Green Bay has waived Kyle Conley from the University of Washington due to an injury he sustained this spring.

The Bullfrogs have signed two players from Portland University. LHP Ari Ronick is 2-4, 3.05 and has held opponents to a .225 batting average this spring. RHP/INF Danny Meier has one save and has struck out 14 in 16 innings of work. Danny is also batting .262 with two HR this season.

RHP Andy Beal of Loyola Marymount has been signed to play for Green Bay this summer. Andy is 2-1 with 5 saves and 20 strikeouts this spring.

The Bullfrogs have also added another in-state player in OF Boe Baitinger from Carthage College. Boe is hitting .346 with 8 doubles, 3 triples, 2 HR and his 14 steals are more than the rest of his team have combined.

Eau Claire

2007-04-21T08:21:00.000-06:00

Two freshman RHPs from Creighton University have signed to play for the Express this summer. Joe Bonfe led his high school baseball team to a second place finish at the state tournament and his high school hockey team to the state championship his senior year.
Casey Schmidt is 2-1 with 21 strikeouts in 26 innings this spring. Casey hopes to ba an athletic trainer for a professional team after college.

Eau Claire hopes its luck with in state players continues with their two newest signings. UW-Parkside LHP Andy Yushta is 2-2 , 2.60 with 35 strikeouts in 34.2 innings and has held opponents to a .149 average this spring. His teammate and former Express OF Casey Garms is showing outstanding plate discipline hitting .338 and taking 17 walks while only striking out 9 times this season. UW-Milwaukee OF Nick Wichser has 1 HR and a team high 7 steals this spring.

Eau Claire alumni from UW-Stevens Point are having good years so far. Jordan Zimmerman, who should be drafted in the early rounds of this years draft, is 4-0, 2.05 with 32 strikeouts in 30.2 innings this spring. Travis Kempf is 2-1, 3.10 in three starts and three relief appearances this season. Doug Coe was off to a hot start hitting .481 through 7 games but hasnt played since so he must have gotten injured.

Mankato adds four more to its roster.

2007-04-20T22:17:00.000-06:00

Mankato has signed IF Jason Christian and OF Alan Oaks from the University of Michigan. Alan was selected in the 50th round by the Detroit Tigers in the 2006 Major League first year player draft. Jason is hitting .361 with 2 HR and 8 steals this spring. Jason also earned Big Ten Player-of-the-Week honors for play in Tony Gwynn Classic in San Diego (Mar. 9-11).

The Moondogs have also added RHP Garett Claypool from UCLA. Garett is 1-0, 3.93 with 2 saves in 14 appearances this spring. He has only walked 10 while striking out 24 so far this season as a freshman.

RHP Jordan Tiegs of Sauk Valley Community College will be joining them in Mankato this summer. Jordan was drafted in the 46th round by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2006 draft. Jordan is 3-1, 2.01 with 1 save while walking only 5 and striking out 40 in 31.1 innings this spring. Tiegs has signed a letter of intent to transfer to the College of Charleston next season.

Duluth signs four players from Georgia Tech

2007-04-16T18:56:00.000-06:00

C Jason Haniger and OF Chris House will be returning for their second seasons with the Huskies. Jason has thrown out 2 of 6 attempted basestealers this spring in limited action playing behind Matt Wieters who should be a high draft pick this year. Chris has 4 steals this spring Georgia Tech. House hit .250 in 40 games for Duluth last summer.
Joining them from Georgia Tech will be 1B/OF Tony Plagman and RHP Andrew Robinson. Tony is hitting .314 with three steals so far this spring. Andrew has struck out 5 in 7 innings out of the bullpen this spring.

2007 Promotions Part 2

2007-04-14T22:18:00.000-06:00

I thought Madison deserved its own post for not only the quantity but the quality of the promotions they have announced so far. They are announcing them every weekday starting with the end of the season and moving towards the opener, so that is how I will list them.

Every Sunday throughout the season will also be Famous Footwear Kids Eat Free days. Every Sunday kids (14 & under) can receive a free hot dog, soda, and bag of chips with a full-priced ticket courtesy of Famous Footwear.
Every Saturday throughout the season will feature the Budweiser Concert Series and post-game fireworks presented by Life Style Staffing.
Moving to Fridays this year, the Working Mans Special presented by ESPN radio 1070 will once again include a ticket, 2 beers, and 2 hot dogs for 10.70. This special offer is open to the unemployed as well.
Thursdays throughout the summer will feature Great Dane Beer Tastings presented by WIBA-FM. Fans can sample Great Dane brews for free pre-game.
Also on Thursdays, PBR plastic beer steins will be given to the first 100 college students and 2-for-1 tickets will be offered with a college ID.
Also, each Thursday the first 650 fans will receive a Mallards pin as part of a five-part series presented by the Wisconsin Historical Society.
Every Wednesday throughout the season will also feature the Mallards wearing yellow uniforms presented by Pella Windows. Pella is also sponsoring the “Power of Yellow” Family Four Pack that offers four bleacher tickets, four hot dogs, and four sodas for just $20! How can you beat that?
Every Monday and Tuesday this summer will feature “Two-For-One” specials presented by Budweiser and 94.1 WJJO that will feature 2-for-1 domestic taps, sodas, and hot dogs through the fifth inning.
On Friday, August 10, in honor of the Luedtke-Storm-Mackey Chiropractic Madison Senators Turn-Back-the-Clock-Night, all references to events happening “back in my day” will be allowed if and only if that said reference is shared between innings. The Mallards will wear replica Madison Senators Uniforms the team wore from 1907-1914.
Thursday, August 2 will feature the last opportunity to complete your PDQ & Quench Gum Trading Card set. Again, the first 1,000 fans will receive a Mallards trading card set.
Wednesday, August 1, The PDQ & Quench Gum Trading Card giveaway. “I’ll trade you Jordan Comadena for Maynard G. Mallard, straight up.” Similar phrases will be heard around the park as the first 1,000 fans will receive the first of a two-part Mallards trading card set.
Sunday, July 29, The Luxury Bath rubber duck giveaway. Rubber ducky you’re the one! The first 1,000 kids (14 & under) will receive a baseball-themed rubber duck courtesy of Luxury Bath Systems.
Friday, July 27 include:Stop Working with Monkeys Night presented by Concordia University! Mikey the Monkey, a rare overhand baseball-throwing chimpanzee, will be making a special appearance at the “Duck Pond.” Throughout the game Mikey will provide entertainment by being featured in funny skits in various areas around the ballpark. Note: The Mallards are not responsible for any “foreign” objects he may toss into the crowd.
On Friday, July 20, hold onto something sturdy because former Super Bowl Champion Chicago Bear defensive lineman William “The Fridge” Perry is coming to the “Duck Pond!” Perry tipped the scales at 370 lbs in his playing days and is best remembered for scoring a rushing touchdown from the halfback position in Super Bowl XX. In conjunction with his appearance, the Mallards will be wearing football-type jerseys.
Thursday, July 19, American Idol Night presented by Sony! Former Idol contestant and Madison resident Denise Jackson will sing the National Anthem and sign autographs during the game! Fans will have the chance to showoff their singing talents, or lack thereof, by singing “Gomeraoke” with the Gomers both before and during the Mallards game!
On Wednesday, July 18, the first 1,000 kids (14 & under) will receive a full-size Mallards wooden bat courtesy of Quench Gum! One lucky person will receive a corked bat courtesy of Sammy Sosa and the Baseball Hall of Shame archives (not really!).
Saturday, July 14, Goodman’s Jewelers Diamond Night! The first 1,000 ladies will receive a gemstone and one will be a real diamond! Bring your gemstone back to Goodman’s to find out if you have won the diamond! Are you cheap and about to be engaged? This is a great opportunity to kill two birds (not mallards, please) with one stone! The Gomers will also perform Neil Diamond songs before and after the Mallards game.
On Tuesday, July 17 it’s Newcastle Floppy Hat Night! The first 1,000 fans will receive a Mallards floppy hat courtesy of Newcastle! After receiving your hat, watch the Mallards battle the defending Northwoods Champion Rochester Honkers.
Friday, July 13 include:Short People Appreciation Night! Emmanuel Lewis, best known for his leading role in the 1980’s television sitcom Webster and his short stature (he’s 4’3”), will be making an appearance at the “Duck Pond!” In conjunction with his visit, the Mallards will be offering ticket pricing based on height. The pricing goes as follows:

4’3” and under – tickets are FREE!

4’4” to 5’6” -- 4 dollars

5’7” to 6’ -- 6 dollars (normal price)

6’ and over -- 7 dollars

In addition, all fans in the Great Dane Duck Blind will receive a Mallards t-shirt courtesy of Covance!
On Sunday, July 1 it’s Madison Blues Night presented by St. Mary’s Hospital! The Mallards will wear replica 1930’s style Madison Blues uniforms and the first 1,000 fans will receive a replica Blues hat. Westside Andy will also perform live blues music on the Duck Blind before and after the “Blues” game.
Fans will be able to vote at Mallardsbaseball.com to decide which giveaway the Mallards will have on Opening Day.The choices for the Opening Day giveaway are: sweat bands, bumper stickers, commemorative baseballs, and a mystery item.Stay tuned to Mallardsbaseball.com every weekday until April 25 for updates on next summer’s promotions!

2007 Promotions Part 1

2007-04-13T21:58:00.003-06:00

A few of the teams have announced promotions for the upcoming season and here are some that I found interesting

Eau Claire, July 14, Turn Back the Clock Night, Eau Claire will be wearing replica jerseys of the 1952 Eau Claire Bears and will be playing against Duluth in their replica 1961 Duluth Dukes jerseys. It will be sponsored by RCU.
Eau Claire, July 25, Mini Bats will be given out sponsored by Diversified Mortgage Services.
La Crosse, June 7, Country singer Michael Martin Murphy will be performing sponsored by Panera Bread/City Brewery/CC106.3.
La Crosse, June 14, Let's Make A Deal night sponsored by State Bank Financial.
La Crosse, June 16, ZOOPERSTARS LIVE will be performing.
La Crosse, July 25, Jake and the Elwood Blues, the Blues Brothers.
La Crosse, August 7, Baseball Card Giveaway sponsored by COCA-COLA AND THE EAGLE 102.7 KQEG.
Rochester, June 8, Championship Logo Baseball Night presented by the American Dairy Association and Newstalk 1340 KROC AM.
Rochester, June 15, Championship Logo Glass Night presented by Budweiser and KXLT FOX 47 TV.
Rochester, June 29, Plunger Night presented by Mr. Rooter Plumbing - Free Plungers for first 500 Fans. I have never heard of a plunger giveaway before.
Rochester, July 16, Championship Cap Night presented by Yellowbook USA and KXLT FOX 47 TV.
Rochester, August 3, LOGO GLOVE NIGHT presented by C.O. Brown Insurance FREE Baseball Gloves for the first 500 Kids 12 and Under.
Rochester, August 7, Team Trading Card Night presented by Pepsi and 106.9 KROC.

Hubbard Provides Heat on a Frigid Weekend

2007-04-10T17:10:00.000-06:00

Madison, WI – April 9, 2007. As an arctic blast was wreaking havoc on many college baseball teams’ schedules throughout the weekend, it was evident Furman Junior outfielder Bobby Hubbard sure didn’t seem to mind. The future Mallard (see picture) scored four runs and had five RBI’s on eight hits that included two home runs in a three-game series versus UNC-Greensboro. He upped his average to .322 and leads the Paladins in runs (17), hits (37), doubles (8), slugging percentage (.513), and stolen bases (5). Other former and future Mallards had noteworthy performances over the weekend as well. Below is a complete listing (in alphabetical order) of these four players’ accomplishments.
Adam Mills, P, Sr., UNC-Charlotte. Former Mallard Mills is bringing new meaning to the phrase “lights out.” He was named the Atlantic 10 pitcher of the week for the fifth time after tossing a complete game 2-hit shutout against St. Joseph last Thursday that included a career-tying 14 strikeouts. Mills is now 8-1 with a 1.06 ERA.
Bubba O’Donnell, RHP, Jr., High Point. O’Donnell picked up his third win of the year after allowing three runs on six hits in seven innings of work. His eight strikeout performance was a season-high.
Adam Pasono, OF, INF, So., Xavier. Pasono scored two runs on four hits in a three game series versus Richmond last weekend.
Jim Sajewich, RHP, So., Illinois St. Sajewich recorded his second win of the year in a four inning relief appearance versus UNI. He allowed two hits and struck out three batters to preserve the 10-9 victory.
The Madison Mallards open the 2007 season against the Eau Claire Express on Thursday May 31, 2007. Group and season tickets are on sale now. Single game tickets go on sale Saturday, April 28. For more information please call the Mallards ticket office at 608.246.4277 or log onto www.mallardsbaseball.com.

Wisconsin add one from Austin Peay

2007-04-08T18:32:00.000-06:00

The Woodchucks have signed Will Hogue from Austin Peay State University. Will is leading the Governors in almost every offensive category. He is hitting .356 with 6 HR, 23 RBI, .604 slg %, and 9 stolen bases this spring.

<---Daniel Descalso is hitting .374 with 2 HR, 22 RBI and has been walked 17 times to give him an impressive .451 OBP this season at UC-Davis.

Steve Gerstenberger is leading Michigan State with a .429 average, 2 HR, .548 SLG % and a .479 OBP.
Pat Venditte has struck out a team high 48 in 42.1 innings this spring for Creighton. He has held opponents to a .186 batting average.

Eau Claire sign two from Nebraska

2007-04-08T09:48:00.000-06:00

Eau Claire has added LHP Wes Simmons and C Dominic Piazza from the University of Nebraska. Dominic was drafted in the 49th round by the Diamondbacks in last years draft. Wes redshirted last year with an injury. Neither have seen playing time with Nebraska so far this spring.
The Eau Claire Express have redesigned their website and it is a great improvement over the old one.

Sweet Continues Hot Streak

2007-04-06T21:57:00.001-06:00

Madison, WI – April 4, 2007. The state of Iowa might be without a Major League baseball club, but that doesn’t mean its lacking quality baseball talent. Future Mallard utility player and current Iowa Hawkeye Travis Sweet is providing plenty of excitement around the state. Sweet continued to swing a hot bat as he tallied three RBI’s and scored two runs on seven hits that included his third home run of the season in a four-game series versus Ohio State. He upped his average to .395 and leads the Hawkeyes in hits (32), home runs (3), and stolen bases (15). Other future Mallards had noteworthy performances over the weekend as well. Below is a complete listing (in alphabetical order) of these six players’ accomplishments.
Jordan Comadena, C/OF, Jr., Purdue. Comadena had two RBI’s and scored four runs on three hits that included his fifth home run of the year in Sunday’s game versus Illinois. He is hitting .360 and leads the Boilermakers in runs scored (28), doubles (11), home runs (5), walks (16), and slugging percentage (.652).
Bobby Hubbard, OF, Jr., Furman. Hubbard hit his second home run of the season in Saturday’s game against Appalacian State. He is hitting .283 and ranks second on the team in RBI’s (19).
Dusty Napoleon, C/1B, Jr., Iowa. Napoleon had two RBI’s on three hits in an 8-0 win over Ohio State Sunday. He is hitting .403 and leads the Hawkeyes in doubles (6), RBI’s (31), and slugging percentage (.627).
Chris Roberts, IF/OF, Fr., Michigan State. Roberts had four RBI’s on three hits that included a triple in two games versus Indiana. He raised his average to .354 (17-48).
Jim Sajewich, RHP, So., Illinois State. Sajewich pitched 1 2/3 innings and picked up his first save of the season in a 3-1 win over Missouri State on Saturday. He lowered his ERA to 2.10 and now leads the Redbirds in appearances (13).
Brandon Wikoff, INF/P, Fr., Illinois. Wikoff had two RBI’s and scored four runs on four hits during a weekend series against Purdue.
The Madison Mallards open the 2007 season against the Eau Claire Express on Thursday May 31, 2007. Group and season tickets are on sale now. Single game tickets go on sale Saturday, April 28. For more information please call the Mallards ticket office at 608.246.4277 or log onto www.mallardsbaseball.com.

2007-04-06T17:28:00.000-06:00

I was real busy this week and didnt get to update much but I will get back on track over the next few days. Andrew's Summer Ball blog has a new home here. I think he will like his switch to using blogger. They have a lot of nice features for bloggers to add to their pages easily without having to know much about html. My new favorite feature that I have added is the newsreel on the bottom of the links on the right side of the page. It should be constantly updated with news stories on the Northwoods League. If you haven't tried out google earth yet, check out the Google Pack for a bunch of free software to download.

17 Northwoods League Alumni on Opening Day Rosters

2007-04-02T18:13:00.000-06:00

Jay Gibbons (Manitowoc 96-97) is starting the year as the Orioles leftfielder but will see plenty of time as the DH this season.
Robb Quinlan (Dubuque, St. Cloud 96, 98) should see time at 1B and 3B this season for the Angels.
Curtis Granderson (Mankato 01) is the starting centerfielder and the leadoff hitter for the Tigers.
Juan Pierre (Manitowoc 96) is starting in centerfield for the Dodgers this year.
Bobby Kielty (Kenosha 96) is a backup outfielder with the Athletics.
Jay Marshall (Rochester 02) went from A ball last season to the Oakland bullpen this season.
Jeff Weaver (Dubuque 95) is in the Mariners starting rotation this year.
George Sherrill (Kenosha 97-98) is in the Seattle bullpen this season.
Josh Willingham (Waterloo 00) is the starting leftfielder for the Marlins this year.
Jeremy Accardo (Alexandria 01) is in the Toronto bullpen this season.
Casey Janssen (Wisconsin 01) also is in the bullpen for the Bluejays this year.
Paul McAnulty (Mankato 01) will be backing up 1B, 3B, and the OF for the Padres this season.
Tom Gorzelanny (St. Cloud 02) has earned a spot in the starting rotation for the Pirates this year.
Andre Ethier (Rochester 02) is starting in rightfield for the Dodgers this season.
Mike Rouse (Brainerd 99) is backing up the infield positions this season for the Indians.
Ben Zobrist (Wisconsin 03) is starting at shortstop for the Devil Rays this year.
Pat Neshek (Wisconsin 02) will be in the Minnesota bullpen this season.

Eau Claire, Rochester and Waterloo add players

2007-03-31T11:57:00.000-06:00

Butler CC C Tyler Goodro will be returning to Eau Claire this summer. He hit .309 in the 15 games he played after being a late season addition last summer.

OF Jonathan Ratledge will not be playing for Eau Claire this summer due to an injury.

The Express have also added a couple of pitchers from UIC. RHP Andrew Davis has a team high 3 wins in 14 appearances this spring. RHP Adam Worthington was the Flames closer as a true freshman last spring and made a Horizon League-leading 38 appearances. This spring he has 10 strikeouts in 8 innings.

Rochester has signed Baylor RHP Reed Woytek who has summer league experience pitching for the Hays Larks of the Jayhawk League last summer.

The Honkers have also added RHP Greg Martin from UNC-Greensboro. Greg has struck out 8 in 13 appearances this spring.

Nebraska freshman OF Aaron Jarosh has signed to play for Waterloo this summer. He was rated by Baseball America as the No. 2 high school prospect in Iowa for the 2006 MLB Draft.

Huskies sign a pair of Jayhawks

2007-03-30T07:37:00.000-06:00

LHP Andy Marks will be making the return trip to Duluth this summer. He was 9-3, 2.05 with 59 strikeouts for the Huskies last summer. Andy is 3-3 with 50 strikeouts in 38.1 innings this spring at Kansas. Joining him will be Kansas teammate INF Justin Ellrich who gained Summer Collegiate baseball experience playing in the Jayhawk League last summer. Justin hit .323 with 8 HR last summer.

OFNick Sullivan is third on Nebraska with 4 steals this spring.

C Logan Gelbrich is hitting .298 with 4 steals this season for the University of San Diego.

Elon OF/P Chris Dove is batting .357 with 3 triples and 10 steals this spring.

INF Chase Austin has a .286 average and 3 HR as a freshman at Elon this spring.

3B Brayden Drake is hitting .303 with a team high 4 HR this season for Missouri State.

Missouri State RHP Tim Clubb is 3-0, 5.18 so far this spring.

A couple more added to Green Bay's inaugural roster

2007-03-29T20:40:00.000-06:00

Green Bay has added George Fox University INF Bo Thunell and LHP Matt Van Den Heuvel of Mesa CC. Bo is hitting .349 with 3 HR and 31 RBI and was named the Northwest Conference Hitter of the Week for Mar. 19-25. Matt's parents reside in the Fox Valley area.

C Rob Raux is batting .324 with 2 HR and 3 steals this spring at Ithaca College

Bo Thunell

His teammate RHP Nick Sottung is 2-1 and has 11 strikeouts in 14.1 innings this season.

OF Kyle Conley leads Washington with 5 steals this spring.

LHP Mike Jacobson is 3-0, 1.44 through 4 starts this spring at Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Battle Creek adds to roster

2007-03-29T19:40:00.000-06:00

C Jimmy Tanner of University of South Carolina Upstate. Jimmy has not made an error behind the plate and has thrown out 40% of those attempting to steal.

LHP Phillip Myers of Seminole CC. Myers is 4-0, 2.51 and has held opponents to a .200 average.

RHP Eric Pettis from UC Irvine. Eric has struck out 12 in 13 innings this spring.

LHP Andre Benjamin from Grand Rapids CC. Andre will be returning to the lineup sometime next month.

Napoleon’s Dynamite Performance Provides Spark for Hawkeyes

2007-03-29T19:22:00.000-06:00

Madison, WI – March 26, 2007. For most collegiate coaches, any offense the catcher position provides is viewed as being a huge bonus. If this viewpoint holds true at the University of Iowa, then catcher Dusty Napoleon is providing mega dividends for the Hawkeyes. Napoleon remained white-hot last weekend as he had seven RBI’s and scored three runs on seven hits that included a double in a four-game weekend sweep of North Dakota State. He is now batting .388 for the year. Other future Mallards had noteworthy performances over the weekend as well. Below is a complete listing (in alphabetical order) of these seven players’ accomplishments.

Aaron Bray, INF, So., UNC Charlotte. Bray had three hits and scored five runs in a three game weekend series versus St. Louis University. He is now batting .276 and leads the 49ers in walks with 22.

Jordan Comadena, C/INF/OF, Jr., Purdue. Comadena scored three runs on four hits that included a double in a three game weekend series versus Western Illinois University. He leads the Boilermakers in doubles (10), home runs (4), and slugging percentage (.721).

Russell Harben, SS/3B, Jr., South Alabama. Harben hit his first home run of the season and added two doubles during a three game series against Louisiana Monroe.

Adam Pasono, INF/OF, So., Xavier. Pasono had two RBI’s and scored four runs on five hits to help the Musketeers sweep Dayton University in a three-game set last weekend.

Jim Sajewich, RHP, So., Illinois State. Sajewich allowed two hits in 3 2/3 innings of relief during a game against Southern Illinois on Saturday.

Travis Sweet, INF/OF/P, Jr., Iowa. Sweet had three RBI’s and scored three runs on six hits to lead the Hawkeyes to a four game sweep over North Dakota State.

Steve Turnbull, RHP, So., Iowa. Pitching the tail-end of a doubleheader against North Dakota State on Friday, Turnbull picked up the complete game victory after allowing two hits and striking out seven batters in seven innings of work.

The Madison Mallards open the 2007 season against the Eau Claire Express on Thursday May 31, 2007. Group and season tickets are on sale now. Single game tickets go on sale Saturday, April 28. For more information please call the Mallards ticket office at 608.246.4277 or log onto http://www.mallardsbaseball.com/.

The “Duck Pond” to Host Green Bay Packers Charity Softball Game

2007-03-28T17:44:00.000-06:00

Current and former Green Bay Packers will take on firefighters in a charity softball game on Saturday May 12 at Warner Park. Representing the Professional Firefighters of Wisconsin is a team from Eau Claire, WI who won last year’s state qualifying tournament.
General admission tickets cost $15.83 and are on sale now! Tickets can be purchased by calling the Mallards ticket office at 608.246.4277 or by visiting www.mallardsbaseball.com. Tickets for the Great Dane Duck Blind and suites are unavailable for this event. Proceeds go to the Wisconsin State Firefighters Association. The game will begin at 3:00 p.m. with gates opening at 2:00 p.m.
Check back in mid-April when we release the names of Packer players participating in the event!
The Madison Mallards open the 2007 season against the Eau Claire Express on Thursday May 31, 2007. Group and season tickets are on sale now. Single game tickets go on sale Saturday, April 28. For more information please call the Mallards ticket office at 608.246.4277 or log onto www.mallardsbaseball.com.

Illinois' Lars Davis Named Big Ten Player of the Week

2007-03-27T18:33:00.000-06:00

Catcher Lars Davis has played for Brainerd and Duluth over the past two summers and is signed to again play with Duluth this summer. Going 12 for 14 with 3 HR and a SB was all it took for Davis to earn his first Big Ten Player of the Week award. Lars is now hitting .429 with 2 triples and 5 HR. He is also getting on base at a .529 clip and has a .810 slugging percentage.

MoonDogs Land Speed and Run Producer

2007-03-27T18:17:00.000-06:00

(Mankato,MN)--The Mankato MoonDogs Baseball Club, a member of the Northwoods League, is proud to announce the signing of two new players for 2007. Sophomore infielder/catcher Logan Forest and sophomore outfielder Jaime Armendariz, both from Midland Community College located in Midland, Texas have committed to play for the MoonDogs this summer.
Forest, a 6’4” 205 lb. sophomore, has started all 25 games for the Chaparrals this season. With 24 hits, five doubles, and 18 RBI already, Forest is quickly becoming one of the Chaps biggest offensive threats. His offensive prowess has given his team a legitimate bat in the middle of the line-up and someone who can produce at any given time.
Last year for the Chaps, he made an immediate impact and posted some impressive offensive stats. In 52 games he registered a .348 batting average, with 65 hits, 12 doubles, and drove in 56 RBI. The 65 hits and 56 RBI ranked him second on the team respectively.
This summer, the MoonDogs look for the left-handed hitting Forest to fill a similar role in their line-up. “Logan’s size and stature will help us both offensively and defensively. He is a left-handed bat that we can use in the middle of the lineup and someone who can produce in RBI situations. Defensively, he will give our infielders a nice target and will save a couple errors for them this season,” MoonDogs head coach Jason Nell said.
Amendariz, a 5’9” 160 lb. sophomore, is off to a fast start to the 2007 season. Through the first 25 games, he leads the team in batting average (0.380) and RBI (27) and continues to impress with his overall game. As a potent leadoff hitter who possesses great speed, he is also becoming a threat on the bases. He already surpassed his stolen base total (4) from last year with five swipes in 2007. His great plate coverage combined with speed will give the MoonDogs a great table-setter in 2007.
“In the outfield position you look for someone that has great speed, covers his position well, makes tough catches and has an accurate arm. That’s exactly what we are getting with Jamie. He can play all three outfield positions and is another left-handed bat in our line-up. His tremendous speed and offensive skills will put a lot pressure on teams to keep him off the bases. If they don’t, he will make things happen either by beating out infield hits, stealing, or taking an extra base,” Nell said.
Both Forest and Amendariz come from the same program that produced outfielder Tim Smith who transferred to Arizona State University this season.
The MoonDogs Home Opener is set for June 1, 2007 against the defending Northwoods League champions, Rochester Honkers. Mankato will also be the host of the 13th annual Northwoods League All-Star Game on July 11, 2007. To be part of all the MoonDogs action this summer, season tickets are on sale now as well as group and hospitality tickets. For more information go to www.mankatomoondogs.com or call the MoonDogs Ticket Office at 507-625-7047.

Four new players for Brainerd

2007-03-27T17:18:00.000-06:00

Brainerd has signed LHP William Blackmon of the University of Tennessee-Martin. William has 26 strikeouts in 24.1 innings this spring.

Another lefty joining the Blue Thunder this year will be Chuck Huggins from UC-Santa Barbara. Chuck is 3-0 with a team leading 2.08 ERA and has held opponents to a .132 batting average this spring.

Northern Colorado INF Adam Symons has signed with Brainerd. Adam has started every game this spring and his 2 steals and 14 RBI are both second on the team.

Brainerd has also signed INF Brian Harfst from McCook CC.

Two more headed for Rochester

2007-03-25T18:09:00.000-06:00

The Honkers have added OF Jarek West from Delta State. West was named the top prospect in the Mountain Collegiate Baseball League and one of the top 10 Prospects in all of the Summer Leagues by Baseball america last summer. Jarek is hitting .305 with 4 HR and 5 steals this spring.

Rochester has also announced the signing of C Corey Kemp of East Carolina. Corey is hitting .270 with 2 HR this spring. He has thrown out 6 of 13 of theose attempting to steal.

Cal State Fullerton RHP Michael Morrison pitched two scoreless innings today, striking out three and only giving up one hit to Long Beach State.

INF Raynor Campbell leads Baylor with a .333 average and has one HR and two steals this spring.

INF Brett Featherston is getting on base at a .500 clip and leads Northern Iowa with 5 HR and 26 RBI.

OF Craig Lutes has 2 doubles and 2 HR in 16 at-bats this spring for Illinois.

Waterloo adds two more pitchers

2007-03-24T21:07:00.000-06:00

Waterloo has signed RHP Jay Broughton from Ball State. Jay was named Most Valuable Pitcher for the fall season.

The Bucks also added RHP Tom Boleska of High Point University. Tom is 2-1, 3.48 with one save and 14 strikeouts in 9 appearances this spring.

Ball State RHP Brenden Stines picked up his second win of the spring today, striking out seven in 6.1 innings against Akron.

C/1B Brent Milleville is hitting .314 this spring with Stanford and currently has a five game hitting streak.

OF Deric Manrique is hitting .316 with a team high 8 steals this spring at Northern Iowa.

RHP Brandon Hennessey has struck out seven and walked one in 7 appearances this spring for San Jose State.

Eau Claire signs a pair of Lobos

2007-03-23T21:59:00.000-06:00

Eau Claire has signed two pitchers from New Mexico. LHP Bobby LaFromboise was drafted in the 24th round of the 2005 draft by the White Sox. Bobby is 4-1, 3.12 with 48 strikeouts and one save this spring. He pitched 8 strong innings today giving up four hits and one run while striking out six and walking none. RHP Shane Dyer was drafted by the Rockies in the 24th round in the 2006 MLB draft. Shane is 1-1 in 5 appearances this spring. Another Lobo who has previously been announced as returning, Ian Hollick has a 9 game hitting streak going and was 2for5 today with 2 RBI. Eau Claire alum Matt Foote had 2 steals today to give him a team high 14 this spring for New Mexico.