The college baseball season officially ended for Arkansas State University on May 19th with a 4-1 win over the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. For many Indian players, that ending marked the beginning of a summer away from home, often staying with host families, taking all night bus rides from town to town, using wooden bats for the first time, and playing with teammates they only had a chance to meet and practice with a half dozen times before launching into an intense minor league type schedule. Such is the life in the summer collegiate baseball leagues.
There are currently 40 summer collegiate leagues in operation, from the Alaska to Cape Cod, and nearly everywhere in between. While these players may receive a travel stipend and small amount of per diem during the summer, they can not be paid and maintain their college eligibility. A typical road trip might mean leaving before daylight on a 500 mile journey to arrive at the host city by mid-afternoon prior to the first game of a three game series. Since the home team will typically only have to pay for two nights of lodging, that same bus will be loaded at 11 p.m after the final game of the series for an all night eight to ten hour drive home or to the next destination.
Some incoming Freshmen can still participate in American Legion Baseball, or play on elite traveling teams. So far as can be determined, 13 Indians have been working hard and logging extra innings this summer to improve their game.
Sophomore pitcher Ryan Blackburn of Jonesboro spent his summer with the Cheyenne Grizzlies of the Mountain Collegiate Baseball League. Before returning home early, Blackburn put up impressive statistics out of the bullpen, posting a 2-0 record, 1.23 ERA, and 3 saves while striking out 28 batters in 22 innings and allowing only a .129 batting average.
Freshman catcher/outfielder Cade Baxter or Rockwell, Texas also spent the summer with the Grizzlies, hitting .143 with an on base percentage of nearly .350 as of July 11th.
Senior pitcher Pete Pasternak of Bonne Terre, Missouri has been playing with the Martinsville Mustangs (Va.) of the Coastal Plain League. Appearing in nine games, Pasternak had a 0-1 record with a 10.34 ERA.
Outfielder Cody Pace of Jonesboro and shortstop Jordan Kimball of New Madrid, Missouri have both been playing for the Kelowna Falcons (British Columbia) of the West Coast Collegiate Baseball League. Pace, who has started in 29 games, is currently hitting .216 while playing solid defensively with a .983 fielding percentage. Kimball is hitting .159 while starting 25 games at short.
Also playing very well in the WCCBL is incoming junior catcher Lawson Hipps of the Kitsap BlueJackets (WA). Hipps, who is hitting .280, has appeared in 38 games, starting 32. He has a .381 on base percentage while posting a .988 fielding percentage. The Dardanelle native spent last season at Fort Hays Community College.
Freshman infielder Danny Riemenschneider of Bryant is playing for the Park City Rangers (Kansas) of the Walter Johnson League. No statistics are available at this time. His team has advanced to the National Baseball Congress World Series.
Freshman first baseman Murray Watts of Jonesboro, a transfer from the University of Arkansas, was a unanimous All-Star selection playing for the Lehigh Valley Cats (PA) in the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League. Watts is hitting .294 but that raises to .348 against right handed pitchers and .356 with runners on base.
Junior outfielder Derrick Coleman of Jonesboro, a transfer from Connors State, played this summer for the Joplin Slashers (MO) of the Jayhawk League. Although there are no current statistics on the Slashers website, box scores from other teams in the league indicate that Coleman batted lead off and played left field for most of the season.
Freshman Drew Benes of Saint Louis and Todd Baumgartner of Edwardsville, Illinois played for Rawlings Prospects 18 Reed Team this summer. Benes had a good summer both offensively and on the mound while Baumgartner had the opportunity to play multiple positions.
Freshman outfielder Joey Hoffman of Saint Louis spent his summer playing American Legion baseball for Creve Coeur Post 397. He led the team and district with a .476 batting average, counting a district leading six home runs among his 23 extra base hits. He also led the team with 45 runs batted in and struck out only six times in 122 plate appearances.
Freshman infielder Taylor Stetzer of Rockwell, Texas has been playing for the Dallas Giants. No statistics or further information is available.
Special thanks to Chris Cook, Assistant Baseball Coach at Arkansas State University, for his assistance in identifying players summer participation.
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