Richard Jones Promoted, Drives In Four Runs in Class A Debut
BOISE, Idaho ? Richard Jones was promoted to the short-season Class A Boise Hawks and got off to a hot start, driving in four runs for the Hawks. Jones went 2-for-6 with a double in his debut at the Class A level. Jones was promoted after hitting .319 in 12 games for the Chicago Cubs’ Arizona League team.
Jones hit 15-for-47 in the Arizona League, scoring 11 runs and notching 17 RBI while hitting seven home runs. A ninth-round draft pick by the Chicago Cubs, Jones was one of four selections in the MLB Amateur Player Draft and one of six former Bulldogs to make their professional debut this summer.
Jones was the highest Bulldog drafted in the MLB Amateur Player Draft since 2004 and The Citadel’s four cadet-student-athletes selected in the 2009 draft marks the most Bulldogs chosen in any single draft year.
Wofford Summer Baseball Update
SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? A total of four Wofford baseball players have been honored with All-Star selections by summer leagues. John Cornely and Konstantine Diamaduros were selected in the Coastal Plains League, Drew Sheridan was honored by the Hawaii Collegiate Baseball League, and Cash Collins was named an All-Star in the Southern Collegiate Baseball League.
In the Coastal Plains League, John Cornely has posted a 1.80 ERA for the Outer Banks Daredevils. He has ten saves in 15 appearances and a 0-1 record in 15.0 innings pitched. Opponents are hitting only .160 against Cornely as he has 22 strikeouts.
For the Forest City Owls, Konstantine Diamaduros is hitting .354, which leads on the team. He has 46 hits, 23 runs scored and 30 RBIs along with three home runs. Diamaduros ranks fourth in batting, fourth in RBIs, fifth in slugging percentage, as well as fourth in total bases. He leads the Owls with 14 multi-hit games and also has posted seven multi-RBI games.
The Wilmington Sharks, in conjunction with the Coastal Plain League, will host the All-Star Game and festivities beginning on Monday, July 20th and running thru Tuesday, July 21st. Game time is set for 7:05 p.m. on July 21st.
Out in the Hawaii Collegiate Baseball League, Drew Sheridan was named to the All-Star team as a member of the Kauai Menehunes. In 15.2 innings pitched, Sheridan has a 2.30 ERA with a 2-1 record and his four saves lead the team.
Cash Collins has a 3-1 record for the Carolina Chaos. He has posted a 4.03 ERA and has 31 strikeouts with twelve walks to earn a spot on the All-Star Team. The SCBL All-Star game was held on July 11 at Russell C. King Field.
Mountaineer Baseball Notebook: Edens Joins Pro Ranks
BOONE, N.C. ? Former Appalachian State University pitcher Aubrey Edens (Greenville, N.C./D.L. Conley) began his professional playing career on Thursday night with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks of the independent Northern League.
Edens, who signed with the RedHawks on Wednesday, was the starting pitcher on Thursday versus the Joliet Jackhammers. The right-hander pitched well, allowing only two earned runs on four hits while striking out five in 4.2 innings of work. However, he was saddled with the loss in his pro debut as F-M fell, 8-2.
Edens compiled a 12-9 record in four seasons at Appalachian and ranks among the program’s all-time leaders in pitching starts (39), appearances (64) and innings pitched (240). He anchored the ASU staff as a senior, leading the squad in wins (6), earned run average (4.97) and opponents’ batting average (.276) while striking out 62 and walking only 25.
FRANCO MOVES TO TRAVERSE CITY: Another former Mountaineer found a new home in the independent baseball ranks this week, as catcher Andrew Franco (Niceville, Fla./Niceville) signed with the Traverse City Beach Bums of the Frontier League.
Franco began his pro career earlier this season with the Sioux City Explorers of the American Association but was let go by the squad in mid-June.
Franco hit .356 with 25 doubles, 14 home runs and 97 RBI in two seasons with the Mountaineers after transferring from Tallahassee C.C.. As a junior, he led the team with a .387 batting average, eight homers and 63 RBI.
With his and Edens’ signings this week, ASU boasts nine players from its last two teams that are currently in the professional ranks.
ARROWOOD NAMED CPL ALL-STAR: After a sizzling start to the season, ASU rising sophomore Ryan Arrowood (Rutherfordton, N.C./Central) has been selected to play in the Coastal Plain League All-Star Game on Monday in Wilmington, N.C.
A right-handed pitcher, Arrowood is a CPL-best 8-0 with a 2.05 ERA in eight starts for his hometown Forest City Owls. He’s allowed just 37 hits, struck out 55 batters and walked only 16 in 57 innings of work. With a 35-5 overall record, Forest City is ranked No. 1 nationally among all collegiate summer-league teams by pgcrosschecker.com.