PC Baseball Players Go to Work in Summer League Action

PC players play on summer teams that span from Wisconsin to New York to South Carolina, with many serving key roles on their respective squads through the games of July 8. Pitcher Chad White earned league honors this week (See: "On the Mound") for his strong play and Aaron Preston has also earned recognition for his outstanding effort.

AT THE PLATE

Aaron Preston (Goose Creek, S.C.) is enjoying a breakout summer with the Wilmington (N.C.) Sharks, starting every game and pacing the squad with a .351 batting average, placing him in third in the Coastal Plain League. He was named the Rawlings CPL Hitter of the Week in the season's second week and leads the Sharks in virtually every offensive category, including hits (40), doubles (six), triples (three), home runs (three), RBI (20), total bases (61), slugging percentage (.535) and stolen bases (21-25). His numbers also place him in the top five among CPL players in hits and total bases while he leads the league in triples and steals.

Brad Zebedis (Rock Hill, S.C.) has turned in a sterling summer for the Hyannis (Mass.) Harbor Hawks in the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League. The rising junior has seen action in 20 of 21 games and has the second-highest batting average among regular players, batting at a .312 clip. His 24 hits lead the squad and tie him for ninth in the league, while his average places him in the top 25 among CCBL batters.

Nate Chong (Duluth, Ga.) plays a key role for the Forest City (N.C.) Owls this summer, playing in 34 in 35 games, starting in 33 of them. The rising junior ranks third on the team with a .320 batting average, leading the team in home runs (four), RBI (25) and stolen bases (13-for-15). His 40 hits tie him with Preston for third in the Coastal Plain League and he also ranks in the CPL's top five in runs (24), RBI and total bases (59). Chong's 59 fielding chances without an error also sit him atop the Owls' fielding percentage list.

Robby Swab (Kernersville, N.C.) has appeared in 26 games for the Kernersville Bulldogs and provided a steady hand at the plate, tallying a .306 batting average with a .390 on-base percentage. The Blue Hose has struck out only five times in 72 at-bats while drawing eight walks and posting 16 RBI, helping the Bulldogs to the top of the Carolina-Virginia Collegiate League standings with a 17-5 record.

Billy Motroni (Goose Creek, S.C.) finds himself playing an everyday role for the Strasburg (Va.) Express, starting 29 of the team's 31 contests. The rising PC sophomore ranks third on the team with 16 RBI and ranks third with 28 hits on the season, including two home runs and 38 total bases (third on the squad). Fellow Blue Hose infielder Jay Lizanich (Greer, S.C.) recently joined the team, starting four games and going 1-for-3 with three runs in the team's most recent game on July 7.

ON THE MOUND

Chad White (Suwanee, Ga.) earned Coastal Plain League Rawlings Pitcher of the Week on Monday for his stellar performance playing for the Florence RedWolves over the past week, throwing six hitless innings for a perfect 0.00 earned run average and a save. The Blue Hose walked just three batters and struck out 10 as well. He leads the squad in strikeouts, with 26, with a team-leading 11 batters struck out looking. The RedWolves have called on White nine times, the second-most appearances on the staff.

Ryan Morris (Jamestown, R.I.) has become the go-to relief pitcher for the Martha's Vineyard (N.Y.) Sharks, of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League, appearing in a team-high eight games. The rising senior has picked up a win and a team-high pair of saves, posting a 2.08 earned run average in 8.2 innings of work.

Beau Dees (Blenheim, S.C.) shares pitching duties with teammate White for the Florence RedWolves. The rising sophomore has posted a 3.20 earned run average with six appearances, walking only five batters in 19.2 innings of work. Dees turned in a strong outing against Thomasville on June 25, allowing only two runs-zero earned-in seven innings of work, holding the opposition to five hits while ringing up five batters and giving one free pass.

Bud Jeter (Columbia, S.C.) has emerged as a go-to reliever for the Green Bay (Wisc.) Bullfrogs of the Northwoods League. Jeter's 12 appearances rank as the second-most on the staff and the rising junior has compiled a 2.61 earned run average with 26 strikeouts, also ranking second in that category. Jeter earned a win in relief with a one-hit, two-strikeout performance in 1.2 innings against the La Crosse Loggers on June 9.

Michael Ricchi (McKinney, Texas) ranks second in appearances (seven) on the Hamilton (Ohio) Joes of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League. The rising sophomore picked up a win earlier this season and has turned into a reliable member of the pitching staff, starting two games and ranking third on the team with 21.2 innings pitched, allowing only one walk in that span.

You can also follow recent graduate Andrew Williams' progress for the Woodstock River Bandits at http://www.woodstockriverbandits.org.