Kats Post Strong Week In Pro Baseball
7/13/2015 6:29:00 PM | Baseball
(Photo credits L-R: Lexington Legends, Adam Schofield, A Plus Pro Photos)
With temperatures rising and the summer in full swing, 15 former Sam Houston State baseball players are in the midst of their professional careers, from sun-splashed fields of Florida's Gulf Coast League to the Toronto Blue Jays' domed Rogers Centre. This week, we'll take another look back at how these Bearkats fared.
Tyler Eppler drew the Sunday start for the Single-A Bradenton Marauders, tossing six innings of two-hit ball while allowing just one earned run for his third straight outing. The righty fanned four and walked two, lowering his season-ERA to 3.90 in 27 2-3 innings.
Left-hander Caleb Smith tossed five innings for the Double-A Trenton Thunder last Tuesday, allowing five hits and three earned runs while striking out five and walking three. In his last 10 outings, Smith has posted a 6-1 record and 3.04 ERA in 56 1-3 innings.
The Class-A Lexington Legends tandem of Ryan O'Hearn and Corey Toups have continued their tear at the plate. Toups' .294 average ranks second on the squad and 15th in the South Atlantic League after the shortstop raked in a .489 average (22-for-45) over the previous 10 games including a 6-for-11 performance with four runs over the weekend.
Meanwhile, O'Hearn belted his league-leading 18th and 19th home runs of the season in a Thursday doubleheader. The first baseman ranks second in the South Atlantic with 54 RBIs and has raised his average to .278 after hitting .394 (13-for-33) over the previous 10 games.
Despite allowing a solo home run to Kansas City over the weekend, Toronto Blue Jays reliever Ryan Tepera has shined, boasting a 2.60 ERA in 17 1-3 innings while striking out 13. With a scoreless inning on Thursday against the White Sox, Tepera had gone nine consecutive innings without allowing a run.
Dallas Gallant continued his rehab with the Gulf Coast League's Fort Myers Miracle, notching a pair of scoreless innings between Thursday and Saturday. The righty has allowed just one run and a walk while striking out 11 in 5 1-3 innings of work with Fort Myers.
Carter Burgess, playing with the Class-A Bowling Green Hot Rods, moved his hit streak to five games in a 1-for-4 outing on Saturday while Matt Shelton, despite a tough start Friday with the Single-A Great Lakes Loons, has posted a 2-1 record and 3.86 ERA over his last 10 appearances.
Since landing with the Tigres de Quintana Roo, a Major League Baseball triple-A affiliate, Dustin Martin has hit his stride, batting .288 overall including .325 (13-for-40) over the last 10 games. On Sunday, the outfielder turned in a 3-for-5 performance, driving in one run.
Cody Dickson, a teammate of Eppler's at Bradenton, has not started since last Sunday. The lefty owns a 4.11 ERA in 87 2-3 innings. Over his last 10 starts, Dickson has posted a 5-2 record and 3.97 ERA.
Ryan Brinley led the charge among the first-year draftees over the weekend, logging 1 1-3 scoreless innings for the Class-A Auburn Doubledays on Sunday. In 4 1-3 innings over three appearances since moving up from rookie ball, the right-hander has given up just one earned run while fanning three.
Andrew Godail tossed 1-3 of an inning on Wednesday, walking one and allowing one hit for the Single-A Williamsport Cutters. The lefty holds a 3.86 ERA in five appearances.
Collin Yelich, the lone position player from the five-member draft class, has started in 12 games behind the plate for the Gulf Coast League Braves. Offensively, the backstop recorded a pair of hits on the week and is currently hitting .250 (7-for-28) with five walks in rookie ball.
Logan Boyd struggled in his second appearance with the Single-A Lowell Spinners, allowing four hits and two runs while walking a pair and fanning one in two innings. Alex Bisacca, who has allowed no runs in 1 2-3 innings with the Gulf Coast League Yankees has not pitched since July 2.
