Louisville Baseball Summer Leagues Update - Final Recap
August 22, 2011 | Baseball
Aug. 22, 2011
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The wooden bat collegiate summer league season has ended for Louisville players and the Cardinals had numerous outstanding performances in 2011.
Leading the way this summer were right-handed pitcher Jeff Thompson and shortstop Alex Chittenden, All-Star performers and key contributors to the Keene Swamp Bats' New England League championship season. Thompson, who was 2-0 with a 0.71 ERA and 15 strikeouts in two playoff starts, was named the top pro prospect in the league after finishing his summer at 4-2 overall with a 1.60 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 10 starts and 50.2 innings pitched.
Chittenden, who was named the league's top defensive player, closed the summer hitting .276 with five home runs, 32 RBI, seven doubles and 35 runs scored in 48 games played. He also led the league in assists with 123 on the season, 34 ahead of the second-place contender, and was second in putouts. His .968 fielding percentage was tops in the league for shortstops in 2011.
Another strong summer performer for the Cardinals was right-handed pitcher Matt Koch in the Cape Cod League. A league All-Star selection, Koch closed his summer with 12 straight relief appearances (including 1.0 inning of shutout relief in the Cape Cod League All-Star Game) and 15.1 consecutive innings of relief without allowing a run. During the stretch, he had 16 strikeouts and allowed only eight hits. Overall, he was 1-0 with five saves and a 1.19 ERA in 17 regular season relief appearances and 22.2 innings of work this summer. Including his All-Star Game outing, he had an ERA of 0.89 in 23.2 innings in the prestigious league.
Another Cape Cod League All-Star, righty Justin Amlung ended his summer early but the First Team All-BIG EAST selection was outstanding finishing with a 3-1 record, a 1.76 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 41 innings pitched and seven starts.
Overall, Louisville had seven players named to summer league All-Star rosters in 2011. Catcher Kyle Gibson played in the Great Lakes League All-Star Game on July 13 at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, while right-handed pitcher Travis Tingle and outfielder Adam Engel competed in the Coastal Plain League All-Star Game on July 18 in Fayetteville, N.C. On July 27, Thompson and Chittenden were starters in the New England League All-Star Game. Koch pitched in the Cape Cod League All-Star Game on July 29, and though he did not play in the game, right-handed pitcher Justin Amlung was also selected as a Cape Cod League All-Star.
The Cardinals had 19 underclassmen assigned to wooden bat summer baseball leagues around the nation in 2011. The fall semester at U of L started on Monday and the Cardinals will begin full-squad fall workouts in early September.
New England League
- RHP Jeff Thompson (Keene Swamp Bats; League's Top Pro Prospect; League All-Star; League champion) was 2-0 with a 0.71 ERA and 15 strikeouts in two playoff starts. His best outing came in his final start on Aug. 8 when he had 10 strikeouts with only five hits in 6.2 innings of shutout baseball to earn the win against Holyoke. Thompson finished his summer at 4-2 overall with a 1.60 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 10 starts and 50.2 innings pitched.
- IF Alex Chittenden (Keene Swamp Bats; League's Top Defensive Player; League All-Star; League champion) ended his summer hitting .276 with five home runs, 32 RBI, seven doubles and 35 runs scored in 48 games played.
- LHP Cody Ege (Vermont Mountaineers) was 3-2 with a 3.04 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 13 appearances (seven starts) and 47.1 innings pitched this summer.
- IF Ty Young (Vermont Mountaineers) finished his summer by hitting .220 with nine RBI and 11 runs scored in 33 games (including two playoff games).
Cape Cod League
- RHP Matt Koch (Chatham Anglers; League All-Star) closed his summer with 12 straight relief appearances (including 1.0 inning of shutout relief in the Cape Cod League All-Star Game) and 15.1 consecutive innings of relief without allowing a run. During the stretch, he had 16 strikeouts and allowed only eight hits. Overall, he was 1-0 with five saves and a 1.19 ERA in 17 regular season relief appearances and 22.2 innings of work this summer. Including his All-Star Game outing, he had an ERA of 0.89 in 23.2 innings in the prestigious league.
- RHP Justin Amlung (Wareham Gatemen; League All-Star) ended his summer early but the First Team All-BIG EAST selection was outstanding finishing with a 3-1 record, a 1.76 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 41 innings pitched and seven starts.
- RHP Dace Kime (Chatham Anglers) finished 1-4 with a 5.91 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 42.2 innings pitched. He pitched in 11 games overall with eight starts.
- RHP Andy Flett (Wareham Gatemen) was 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 10 appearances and 10.2 innings of relief this summer.
- RHP Chad Green (Bourne Braves) finished 0-1 with a 6.85 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 11 appearances (two starts) and 22.1 innings pitched.
Coastal Plain League
- RHP Travis Tingle (Thomasville HiToms; League All-Star) was 5-1 with 11 saves in 27 relief appearances this summer. He had 40 strikeouts in 40.1 innings of work and an ERA of 4.02.
- OF Adam Engel (Florence RedWolves; League All-Star) finished his summer with a .283 batting average, two home runs, 26 RBI, 28 runs scored and 19 stolen bases in 25 attempts in 39 games played.
- At the plate, OF Cole Sturgeon (Thomasville HiToms) hit .250 with 14 runs scored, seven RBI and two doubles in 22 starts and 27 games this summer. On the mound, the left-hander was 2-1 with a 3.21 ERA and 11 strikeouts in eight appearances and 14.0 innings of relief.
Great Lakes League
- C Kyle Gibson (Lexington Hustlers; League All-Star) closed his summer by hitting .295 with 16 RBI, six doubles, three triples, 13 runs scored and 16 walks in 35 games (regular season, exhibition and All-Star).
- RHP Mike Nastold (Cincinnati Steam) finished the summer 1-0 with a 2.42 ERA and 30 strikeouts in five starts and 22.1 innings pitched this summer.
Cal Ripken League
- C Jeff Gardner (Baltimore Redbirds) completed his summer by hitting .252 with two home runs, 17 RBI, nine doubles and 13 runs scored in 37 games.
- RHP Brandon Alphin (Baltimore Redbirds) was 4-0 with 18 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.79 in 10 appearances (six starts) and 32.2 innings pitched this summer.
- RHP Curtis McCombs (Baltimore Redbirds) is 1-1 with a 3.67 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 34.1 innings pitched and 10 appearances this summer.
Northwoods League
- 1B Zak Wasserman (Mankato MoonDogs) hit .232 with two home runs, 25 RBI, 23 runs scored, 10 doubles and 29 walks in 63 total games this summer, including five playoff games. Wasserman and the MoonDogs lost in the championship series of the Northwoods League.
New York League
- 3B/OF Ryan Seiz (Oneonta Outlaws) finished his summer hitting .206 with one double, three triples, three RBI and six runs scored in 12 games played.
2011 University of Louisville Summer Baseball Assignments / Honors
Cape Cod League
- Justin Amlung - Wareham Gatemen (League All-Star)
- Andy Flett - Wareham Gatemen
- Chad Green - Bourne Braves
- Dace Kime - Chatham Anglers
- Matt Koch - Chatham Anglers (League All-Star)
Coastal Plain League
- Adam Engel - Florence RedWolves (League All-Star)
- Cole Sturgeon - Thomasville HiToms
- Travis Tingle - Thomasville HiToms (League All-Star)
- Cody Ege - Vermont Mountaineers
- Alex Chittenden - Keene Swamp Bats (Top Defensive Player; League All-Star; League champion)
- Jeff Thompson - Keene Swamp Bats (Top Pro Prospect; League All-Star; League champion)
- Ty Young - Vermont Mountaineers
Cal Ripken League
- Brandon Alphin - Baltimore Redbirds
- Curtis McCombs - Baltimore Redbirds
- Jeff Gardner - Baltimore Redbirds
Great Lakes League
- Kyle Gibson - Lexington Hustlers (League All-Star)
- Mike Nastold - Cincinnati Steam
New York League
- Ryan Seiz - Oneonta Outlaws
Northwoods League
- Zak Wasserman - Mankato MoonDogs
