University of Richmond Athletics
Catching Up On The Spiders In Summer Collegiate Baseball Leagues
08/07/2008 | Baseball
Aug. 7, 2008
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND - The University of Richmond baseball team has a number of players in various summer baseball league throughout the country, headlined by rising junior lefty Matt Zielinski in the prestigious Cape Cod League. In all, 11 Spiders played summer baseball. The team returns to campus near the end of August.
The Spiders return 26 letterwinners off their 2008 squad, including a pair of Atlantic 10 All-Rookie selections in 1B Mike Mergenthaler and DH Billy Barber.
Here's a look at how the Spiders fared this summer:
Matt Zielinski (Rising Junior LHP)
Team: Harwich Mariners
League: Cape Cod League
Notable Stats: Pitched in 9 games and made 3 starts... 0-5... 4.28 ERA... 27.1 IP... 20 K... 9 BB... Was on the short end of a 1-0 and a 5-0 decision in his first two starts in the Cape... Harwich won three straight to end the regular-season and clinched a playoff spot.
Team Record: 23-20
Mike Mergenthaler (Rising Sophomore 1B)
Team: Elmira Pioneers
League: New York Collegiate Baseball League
Notable Stats: .284 BA (third on the team)... 26 games (26 starts)... 4 2B, 1 3B... 12 RBI... 10 BB... 13 K... 2-3 SB... Ended the season on a nine-game hitting streak (18-38, .474 BA), with 6 R and 9 RBI
Team Record: 16-23
Jared Bard (Rising Junior RHP)
Woodstock River Bandits
League: Valley Baseball League
Notable Stats: Named to the VBL North All-Star Team... Pitched in 6 games with 5 starts... 6-5 ... 3.98 ERA... 31.2 IP... 15 BB... 33 K... .254 opponent BA
Team Record: 16-28
Steve Owens (Rising Senior RHP)
Team: New Market Rebels
League: Valley Baseball League
Notable Stats: Named the VBL Pitcher of the Week on June 23 after a complete-game shutout of Front Royal (5 hits, 4 K, 0 BB)... Pitched in 10 games with 8 starts... 2-4 ... 4.50 ERA... 1 complete game shutout... 50 IP... 23 BB... 40 K... .240 opponent BA
Team Record: 16-28
Andrew Lowry (Rising Sophomore OF)
Team: Woodstock River Bandits
League: Valley Baseball League
Notable State: Played in 36 games (29 starts), .169 BA... 16 R... 8 RBI... 6-8 SB... 25 BB
Team Record: 16-28
Jay Joines (Rising Junior RHP)
Team: Beltway Blue Caps
League: Clark C. Griffith Collegiate League
Notable State: 9 games (7 starts)... 4-2... 2.98 ERA (team-low)... 42.1 IP... 13 BB... 43 K... 2 CG... 1 SHO... .233 opponent BA
Team Record: Team was sixth-seed heading into playoffs, but won it (Joines started first-round playoff game, but got a no decision)
Billy Barber (Rising Sophomore DH/RHP)
Team: Silver Springs-Tacoma Thunderbolts
League: Cal Ripken, Sr. Collegiate Baseball League
Notable Stats: .225 BA... 25 games (21 starts)... 4 2B... 4 HR (team-high)... 13 RBI... .451 Slug%... 3-4 SB
Matt Trent (Rising Junior RHP)
Team: Silver Springs-Tacoma Thunderbolts
League: Cal Ripken, Sr. Collegiate Baseball League
Notable Stats: 5.18 ERA... 2-5... 8 games (7 starts)... 1 CG... 41.2 IP... 23 K... 28 BB
Derek Boliek (Rising Sophomore 2B/SS)
Team: Lake Norman Copperheads
League: Southern Collegiate Baseball League
Notable Stats: Played in 21 games (0 starts)... .242 BA... 12 R... 2 2B... 1 3B... 10 BB... 6 K... 5-5 SB
Team Record: Lake Norman finished 22-19 (5-9 in the division)
Anthony Cafagna (Rising Sophomore RHP)
Team: Lehigh Valley Catz
League: Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League
Notable State: 5 games (4 starts)... 0-0... 4.61 ERA... 13.2 IP... 7 BB... 18 K
Team Record: 26-12 (won division)
