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SPORTS

Davidson Baseball Mid-Summer Update #2

by | Jul 17, 2018 | Sports

Missing Davidson Baseball during the middle of the summer? The update below will tell you what your favorite Wildcats are up to this summer.

DAVIDSON, N.C. — With August rapidly approaching and the end of summer draws near, Davidson baseball continues to work in the offseason, with 12 Wildcats competing in summer prospect leagues. Three former ‘Cats are also enjoying success in varying levels of professional baseball.

Mid-Summer Update #2

MiLB
Clark Beeker ’16  | RHP |  Fort Myers Miracle (Class A Advanced; Minnesota Twins)
Beeker continues to flourish in the world of professional baseball, boasting a career ERA of 2.96 across three seasons and a 17-12 record. While he has amassed just three wins this season, Beeker has tossed over 75 innings, fanning 48. The right hander has had two shutout appearances this year and has helped guide the Miracle during its second-half, sitting just three games out of the South Division lead.

Beeker was selected in the 33rd  round of the 2016 MLB Draft.

Will Robertson ’17  | OF |  Delmarva Shorebirds (Class A Full Season; Baltimore Orioles)
In his first full season of professional baseball, Robertson has launched seven long balls, helping the Shorebirds to a season total of 69, ranking fourth in the South Atlantic League. The outfielder recently turned in a career-best performance, raking in five hits and scoring twice as Delmarva routed the Greensboro Grasshoppers 20-2 in late June. The former All-American has turned in three straight three-hit games in his last three contests, slugging at a .424 clip. Robertson is hitting .342 across his last 10 games, scoring six times.

Robertson was taken in the 30th  round of the 2017 MLB Draft.

Durin O’Linger ’17   | RHP  |  Greenville Drive (Class A Full Season; Boston Red Sox)
O’Linger has spent time at three different levels this season, making a start with Double-A affiliate the Portland Sea Dogs in early June and appearing in five games with the Salem Red Sox (Class A Advanced) in April. Currently with the Drive, the 2017 postseason legend appeared in six games with two starts, posting a 2.78 ERA and a 2-1 record. O’Linger has prospered as a reliever from the bullpen, picking up his first career hold in early July after a three-inning, one-hit outing in Columbia, S.C.

O’Linger signed a non-drafted free agent contract with the Red Sox last June. You can read more about O’Linger’s experiences this season in the feature story from Lake Norman journalist Justin Parker. (See above)

CURRENT DAVIDSON PLAYERS 
*Grade listed for 2018-19 school year*

Eric Jones (SR)  |  C/UTIL  |  Cotuit Kettleers  (Cape Cod League)
Jones played in 26 games for Cotuit, driving in seven and turning in 17 hits. The utility player and local Charlotte product strung together a seven-game hit streak from June 19-June 26, where he went 3-for-4. Jones split time between third base and behind the plate this summer, and has since returned to the Queen City in preparation for his senior year.

Max Bazin (SR)  |  SS/UTIL  |  Charlottesville Tom Sox (Valley League)
Alex Mardiney (SO)       |  OF |  Charlottesville Tom Sox (Valley League)
Brett Centracchio (JR)  | INF  |  Charlottesville Tom Sox (Valley League)
Luke Burton  (SO)        | INF/RHP  | Charlottesville Tom Sox (Valley League)
The Tom Sox are currently in second in the South Division and on a three-game win streak.

After starting his summer on a five-game hitting streak and reaching base in the first seven contests, Bazin proceeded to turn in another five-game hitting streak (June 17-June 27), and has scored six runs across his last four games and 10 in his last seven.

Mardiney, a late addition to the Tom Sox after starting in the Northwoods League, has appeared in 17 games, scoring 11 runs and turning in 16 hits for a near .250 clip. The sophomore plated a run in five straight contests for Charlottesville, including three on July 6, to accompany a six-game hitting streak.

Centracchio began his season in the Cape Cod League, has homered and doubled three times since joining the Tom Sox and playing in 19 games. His recent production includes a 3-for-5 day with two runs on July 9, where he blasted his first long ball of the summer league and drove in two en route to leading the Sox to a 17-0 victory.

Burton also began the summer with a different league, spending time with the D.C. Grays of the famous Cal Ripken League. The upcoming sophomore has made just one appearance for Charlottesville, tossing three innings and picking up a pair of strikeouts.

Justin Lebek  (SR)       |  OF    |  Danbury Westerners (New England  League)
Walker Imwalle (JR)  | UTIL  |  Danbury Westerners (New England League)
After earning a spot on the Atlantic 10 All-Championship team for his hot bat during the 2018 tournament, Lebek has shown no signs of slowing down, carrying a .353 average over 30 games. His four homers rank second on the squad behind fellow Wildcat Imwalle, and his 23 RBI top the team and ranks 8thin the league. Lebek boasts a .560 slugging percentage and has turned in multi-hit performances in five of his last nine games.

Matching his season-high with a team-best five homers in just 28 games, Imwalle boasts a near-.500 slugging percentage and turned in a six-game hit streak that just ended Saturday. His 18 RBI rank second, only trailing Lebek.

Ward Coleman (JR)  |  INF  |  Wilmington Sharks  (Coastal Plains League)
Coleman ranks second on the Sharks in runs (10) and RBI (13), posting 21 hits in 34 games. He’s also stole four bases and cranked five doubles.

Zach Nussbaum (JR)  |  C |  Palm Beach Snowbirds (Collegiate League of the Palm Beaches)
Matt Frey (JR)             |  INF | Palm Beach Snowbirds (Collegiate League of the Palm Beaches)
Drew DeRubertis  (SO) |  RHP | Palm Beach Snowbirds (Collegiate League of the Palm Beaches)
Serving as the Snowbirds’ primary catcher, Nussbaum is carrying a .297 average and has registered a triple and a homer as well as scored nine times. Frey has appeared in 10 games for PB, tallying a hit in four of his first five games. DeRubertis tops the pitching staff with a flawless ERA, appearing in four games and starting one. In seven innings he’s struck out eight, and has yet to surrender a walk, allowing just three hits.

Sam Reinertsen (SR)  |  LHP  | Healdsburg Packers (California Collegiate League)
Reinertsen and his brother (RHP Henrik Reinertsen, Pacific) have helped guide the Packers to an overall record of 31-7 and a spot in the California Collegiate League playoffs.  The southpaw has a 2-1 record to accompany two holds, posting a 3.50 ERA and eight strikeouts in 12 innings, allowing just two walks.

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