June 4, 2010

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By Brian Ormiston
UCFAthletics.com

Orlando, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Several UCF baseball players are preparing to get their summer wood-bat seasons underway in six different leagues this year. Meanwhile, former Knight Drew Butera continues to help the Minnesota Twins hold on to first place in the American League Central, and southpaw Mitch Herold was dominating in the Boston Red Sox system that he was recently promoted to Double-A.

Most collegiate summer leagues kick off their seasons this week. Two Knights will be experiencing life in the prestigious Cape Cod League in outfielder Ronnie Richardson and catcher Beau Taylor. Closer to home in the Florida Collegiate Summer League, Jack Sterritt, Ryan Breen and Alex Friedrich all will be suiting up for Winter Park, while D.J. Hicks will play for Orlando and J.M. Blake is set to compete for Leesburg.

In the professional ranks, Butera is busy backing up all-star Joe Mauer behind home plate for the Twins, and the 2005 fifth-round pick by the New York Mets has gone 1-for-3 in each of his last two games.

Down in the minors, several Knights are flourishing with their respective clubs. After going 2-0 with a 1.05 ERA in 25.2 innings for the Class A Salem Red Sox, Boston promoted him to Double-A. He made his debut with the Portland Sea Dogs May 23 and following a rough outing, Herold's last two appearances have resulted in 4.2 innings of work with just one run against and two strikeouts.

Double-A is also where Clay Timpner is spending time, and the outfielder owns a .354 batting average with 15 RBI for the Richmond Flying Squirrels (San Francisco). And Tim Bascom is dominating hitters for the Bowie Baysox (Baltimore), going 3-3 with a 3.10 ERA, striking out 40 while only walking eight in 10 starts.

Meanwhile, Matt Fox and Mike Maroth are teaming up with the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings (Minnesota). Fox is putting up strong numbers in a run to reunite himself with Butera, as the duo served as the UCF battery during their collegiate careers from 2003-04. After recovering from early injuries as a professional, Fox is motoring along in Triple-A, going 4-2 with a 2.35 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 46.0 innings. He began as a reliever for the Red Wings but has started five-straight games. That includes allowing just one earned run in his last 13.2 innings. However a line drive off his leg limited Fox to just 1.2 innings in his start June 2.

And Maroth is looking to get back into the Majors following several unfortunate injuries. The southpaw started three games this year for the Red Wings and posted a 1.64 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 11.0 innings, but once again the injury bug got him and he is currently on the disabled list.

Several other former Knights are working in the Class A ranks, and for more information check out the below stats.

Current Knights in Collegiate Summer Leagues
Cape Cod League
CF Ronnie Richardson - Harwich
C Beau Taylor - Y/D

Florida Collegiate Summer League
RHP Jack Sterritt - Winter Park
C Ryan Breen - Winter Park
OF Alex Friedrich - Winter Park
IF/RHP D.J. Hicks - Orlando
RHP J.M. Blake - Leesburg

Valley League
LHP Brian Adkins - Waynesboro
LHP Johnny Sedlock - Luray
1B Jonathan Griffin - Luray
LHP Nick Cicio - Staunton

California League
RHP Chase Bradford - Team Vegas

Cal Ripken League
RHP Gregg Cooke - Herndon
IF/C Chris Taladay - Herndon
LHP Joe Rogers - Youse

New England League
RHP Bryan Brown - North Adams

Coastal Plains League
RHP Brennan Dobbins - Wilson
IF Michael Holmes - Outer Banks
OF Kevin Vasquez - Martinsville

Former Knights in Professional Baseball
Hitters
Tyson Auer - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Class A+, LAA) - 49 GP, .299 BA, 5 2B, 6 3B, 1 HR, 43 R, 17 RBI
Dwayne Bailey - Cedar Rapids Kernels (Class A, LAA) - 8 GP, .063 BA
Drew Butera - Minnesota Twins - 10 GP, .179 BA, 1 2B, 1 R, 2 RBI
Robert Lara - Lake Elsinore Storm (Class A+, S.D.) - 23 GP, .273 BA, 4 2B, 3 HR, 13 R, 10 RBI
Clay Timpner - Richmond Flying Squirrels (Double-A, S.F.) - 43 GP, .354 BA, 10 2B, 14 R, 15 RBI, 2 SB

Pitchers
Tim Bascom - Bowie Baysox (Double-A, BAL) - 3-3, 3.10 ERA, 10 GP, 10 GS, 58.0 IP, 8 BB, 40 K
Matt Fox - Rochester Red Wings (Triple-A, MIN) - 4-2, 2.35 ERA, 17 GP, 6 GS, 46.0 IP, 13 BB, 33 K
Mitch Herold - Portland Sea Dogs (Double-A, BOS) - 0-1, 8.10 ERA, 3 GP, 6.2 IP, 3 K
Mitch Herold - Salem Red Sox (Class A+, BOS) - 2-0, 1.05 ERA, 11 GP, 1 SV, 25.2 IP, 4 BB, 17 K
*Mike Maroth - Rochester Red Wings (Triple-A, MIN) - 0-2, 1.64 ERA, 3 GS, 11.0 IP, 3 BB, 11 K
* - Disabled List