Spartans Shine in Summer Leagues
7/19/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
July 19, 2007
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Several members of the Michigan State baseball team are having excellent seasons in collegiate summer leagues across the country. Jon Kibler recently pitched in the Texas Collegiate League All-Star Game, while Justin Potes was named a Northwoods League All-Star. Reaching the midway point of the summer season, msuspartans.com takes a look at how the Spartans are faring against some of the nation's top competition.
On the mound, Kibler is having a dominating summer for the Weatherford Wranglers. Kibler, a 30th-round draft pick of the Detroit Tigers, was named a TCL All-Star after going 4-0 with a 1.73 ERA in four starts in the first half of the season. In the TCL All-Star Game, Kibler pitched one scoreless inning. In a start on July 11, Kibler earned his fifth win of the summer, allowing just three hits in seven shutout innings of work to go with five strikeouts in a victory over Wichita Falls. For his efforts, he earned special mention in the Rivals.com Summer Roundup feature. Overall, Kibler is 5-0 with a 1.36 ERA and has struck out 29 batters in 33 innings. Spartan closer Mike Monterey is also hurling for the Wranglers, striking out 20 batters in 23.2 innings and 13 appearances.
Pitching for the Mat-Su Miners in the Alaska Baseball League, Chris Cullen has proven to be a solid member of the bullpen, compiling a 1.69 ERA with nine strikeouts in 16 innings of work. In the California Collegiate League, right-hander Nolan Moody is putting up impressive numbers, fanning 39 batters in 34.2 innings of work with opponents batting a meager .218 against him. His record is 3-1 in 17 appearances to go along with his 2.60 ERA. Right-hander A.J. Dunn (1-0, 2.55 ERA) is limiting hitters to a .107 batting average and leads the Hays Larks with four saves in the Jayhawk League.
Playing in the prestigious Cape Cod League for the Harwich Mariners, Kyle Day is batting .295 with a homer, five doubles, two triples and six RBI against the country's top collegiate prospects. Day, who has also scored 12 runs in 24 games and has a .386 on-base percentage, is primarily playing outfield for the Mariners. Earlier this summer, Day was drafted in the 19th round by the Chicago Cubs.
Potes earned Northwoods All-Star honors after leading the Wisconsin Woodchucks through 38 games with 20 RBI. He is batting .259 with five doubles and a homer in addition to his .349 on-base percentage.
In the Cal Ripken League, Eli Boike and Evan Friedland are playing for the Bethesda (Md.) Big Train. At the plate, Boike has seven doubles and eight RBI and Friedland has two doubles and nine RBI.
