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.
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.
Big Ten Players Continue Hot Start to 2007
Madison, WI – March 19, 2007. The Mallards were well represented by Big Ten Conference teams last weekend. Leading the charge was University of Iowa infielder Travis Sweet who had six RBI’s and scored three runs on five hits during a Friday doubleheader against Dallas Baptist and Fresno State. He is now hitting .364 and leads the Hawkeyes with 16 hits and 13 runs in 10 games. Other future Mallards had noteworthy performances over the weekend as well. Below is a complete listing (in alphabetical order) of these seven players’ accomplishments.
Jordan Comadena, C/OF, Jr., Purdue. Comadena’s blistering start to the 2007 season continued as he had two RBI’s and scored five runs on six hits that included a lead-off home run in a three-game series versus Samford last weekend. He is now hitting .442 and leads the Boilermakers in runs (17), doubles (9), home runs (4), RBI’s (16), and walks (13).
Dusty Napolean, C/1B, Jr., Iowa. Napolean had eight RBI’s on five hits during a two-game Friday/Saturday series versus Dallas Baptist. His 15 RBI’s lead the Hawkeye’s squad.
Eric Nielson, C, So., Purdue. Nielson continued to make the most of his playing time and is now hitting .462 (6-13) after adding three hits in two games versus Samford.
Chris Roberts, OF, Jr., Michigan State. Roberts drove in the game-winning run with an RBI double in the top of ninth inning to lead the Spartans to a 4-3 victory over Oklahoma Friday. He also collected two hits in Sunday’s game.
Joseph Spiers, SS/1B, Jr., San Diego State. Spiers’ four hits and two RBI’s helped lead the Aztecs to two wins over UCLA last weekend.
Daniel Webb, OF, Jr., Illinois. In two games versus Yale and Jacksonville State University Webb had two RBI’s and scored four runs on three hits, including one double. He is now batting .308 for the season.
Brandon Wikoff, INF/P, Fr., Illinois. Wikoff scored two runs and had three hits in a 17-5 win over Yale on Sunday. He upped his average to .400 and is now tied for the team lead with 18 hits.
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.
Three Iowa Hawkeyes have been signed to play for Madison this summer. C/1B Dusty Napoleon has thrown out 4 of 24 baserunners and has not commited an error behind the plate this season. CF Travis Sweet played in the infield and pitched last spring. He has been named Big Ten player of the week once this spring and is hitting .364 with 2 HR and 6 steals. RHP Steve Turnbull has 14 strikeouts in 12.1 innings this spring.
RHP Jim Sajewich and LHP Dan Sorce from Illinois State will make their Northwoods League debuts this summer. Jim is 1-1, 2.53 in 7 appearances this spring. Dan threw a no-hitter as a high school senior.
INF Aaron Bray was a freshman All-American for UNC-Charlotte. Aaron has 5 steals this spring.
A pair of teammates at San Diego State will be coming with plenty of summer college baseball experience. INF Joe Spiers has played in the Cape Cod League and the Alaska Baseball League the past two summers. LHP Donnie Hume has played in the Cape Cod League and the California Collegiate League. Donnie has struck out 31 and only walked 5 in 5 starts this spring.
Michigan State will be represented in Madison by a couple of notable prospects. RHP Mark Sorensen was selected as one of the top 10 prospects in the Great Lakes Collegiate League by Baseball America last year. His father Lary Sorensen played 11 seasons in the majors. INF Chris Roberts was ranked the No. 2 newcomer in the Big Ten according to Baseball America. Chris was selected in the 27th round by the Cleveland Indians in the 2006 MLB Draft.
RHP Bubba O'Donnell pitched a complete game shutout for High Point University last weekend to earn Big South Pitcher of the Week honors.
INF Brandon Wikoff is hitting .385 with one steal this spring. Illinois teammate OF Daniel Webb spent the last two summers playing for the Delaware Cows of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League.
OF Evan LeBlanc is hitting .324 with 1 HR for UC-Santa Clara this season.
The other signings that have been announced by Madison are SS Russell Harben of South Alabama, INF/OF Adam Pasono of Xavier, and C Eric Nielsen of Purdue.
Waterloo is undertaking a five year stadium renovation project. The first phase includes a new entrance and a new restroom building. The team will again have a local connection with players from Northern Iowa.
LHP Dan Jennings has made 5 appearances out of the Nebraska bullpen this spring. He is one of four returning Bucks announced so far.
RHP Scott Shaw is 1-1 with 5 strikeouts in two starts this spring for Illinois. Last summer for Waterloo he was 4-3, 2.40 with 45 strikeouts in 71.1 innings.
RHP Chris Pack has made two appearances for Villanova as a freshman this spring.
RHP Brandon Hennessey has 5 strikeouts in 7.1 innings this spring for San Jose State.
RHP Joshua Schneider is 2-1, 1.95 this spring for Hawaii. Earned all-state honors in high school in three sports.
RHP Brenden Stines has struck out 15 and only walked 5 in three starts this year for Ball State.
C Scott Dunwoody leads Dayton with a .400 OBP and 2 steals.
C Brent Milleville was selected in the 39th round in 05 draft by Angels. Two-time high school player of the year in Kansas. Brent has also played 1B this spring for Stanford.
OF Jeff Whitlow was selected in 50th round of 05 draft by Detroit. Jeff had 10 steals last summer for Waterloo, and is hitting .308 with one steal this spring for Stanford.
OF Deric Manrique had 11 steals for the Bucks last summer. Deric has not committed an error in centerfield this spring at Northern Iowa.
IF Travis Hendrix was selected as a California Community College all-American as a sophomore before transferring this season to Northern Iowa.
IF Tim McCann has one homerun this spring for Seton Hall. Tim was a BIG EAST Academic All-Star in 06.
OF Mark Pappas was third on Seton Hall last year with a .294 average and is hitting .333 this spring
So far Duluth has announced five players that are returning from last years squad and four new additions.
