Blue Devils Summer Baseball Update #3
Members of Central Connecticut baseball team members are currently playing in collegiate summer baseball leagues, while a number of alums are also playing in the professional ranks. Rising junior TT Bowens was recently named to the NECBL All-Star Game.
The current list of players playing in collegiate summer league and a brief update (stats through July 21):
NEW ENGLAND COLLEGIATE BASEBALL LEAGUE
TT Bowens - Mystic Schooners
Bowens was named the starter for the South team for the NECBL All-Star Game on July 28. He ranks second in the league with 12 homeruns and third with 35 RBIs while hitting .322. He has scored 30 runs and hit safely in nine of the last 10 games. Mystic is currently 18-15 overall and three games back in the Southern Division.
Dave Matthews - Keene Swamp Bats
Matthews has launched seven homeruns to rank third in the league. He has 21 RBIs and 17 runs scored along with four doubles. Keene leads the Northern Division with an overall record of 21-14.
Peyton Stephens - Keene Swamp Bats
Stephens appeared in three games for Keene as a pitcher. He struck out five batters across 2.2 innings, while allowing three runs.
PERFECT GAME COLLEGIATE BASEBALL LEAGUE
Andrew Braun - Utica Blue Sox
Braun has pitched in 11 games for the Blue Sox, and is 1-0 with a 2.74 ERA. Across 19.2 innings, Braun has 23 strikeouts against just 11 walks and 15 hits. Braun was chosen as a reserve for the West Division in the PGCBL All-Star Game. Utica leads the West Division with a 24-12 record.
Dylan Sanchez - Watertown Rapids
Sanchez has played in 18 games for Watertown and has 15 hits with a .234 batting average. He has scored seven runs with seven RBIs with a double and triple. He has gone 4-of-6 on stolen base attempts.
Tim Buchek - Oneonta Outlaws
Buchek has pitched in eight games and also has 33 at bats for Oneonta. At the plate he is hitting .242 with eight hits including a double and triple, while driving in six RBIs and scoring five runs. On the mound, Buchek has thrown 24.0 innings, including four starts. He is 1-1 and has a 4.87 ERA with 18 strikeouts
FUTURES COLLEGIATE BASEBALL LEAGUE
Four Blue Devils are playing for the Bristol Blues this summer. The Blues have gone 16-15 and are 2.0 games out of first place.
Buddy Dewaine - Bristol Blues
Dewaine has played 25 games for the Blues and is hitting .316. He has 14 RBIs with 20 runs scored. Dewaine has three doubles and a triple, while stealing three bases. In addition to several defensive highlights at third base, he was named to the Hillies squad for the Futures League All-Star Game.
Dominic Niman - Bristol Blues
Niman tossed 19.1 innings across 13 games out of the bullpen. He was 5-1 with a 4.19 ERA and was named Hillies squad for the Futures League All-Star Game.
Matt Shane - Bristol Blues
Shane has pitched in eight games and made three starts for the Blues. In 22.0 innings of work, the lefthander has gone 1-1 with 20 strikeouts and allowed 13 earned runs.
Sam Loda - Bristol Blues
Loda has played in 13 games and is batting .277. He has scored six runs with three RBIs on three doubles and two triples. .
COASTAL PLAIN LEAGUE
Mike Appel - Morehead City Marlins
Appel has pitched in 12 games and has a 3-0 record with one save. He has a 2.41 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 18.2 innings. The Marlins own the best record in the East Division at 28-13 overall.
There are also a number of former Blue Devils currently playing in the professional ranks. Some of those currently playing include:
(stats through July 21)
Connor Fitzsimons (Burlington Bees - Los Angeles Angels Class A) - Fitzsimons has played in 65 games for the Bees. He has six home runs to match his total in all of 2018, while driving in 35 runs and scoring 25 runs. He also has nine doubles and a triple. Fitzsimons was also named the Midwest League Player of the Week on July 1 for what he did during the period of June 24-30.
Ryan Costello (Fort Myers Miracle - Minnesota Twins Class A Advanced) - Costello has played 72 games with Fort Myers and clubbed eight homers. He has 25 RBIs and 35 runs scored. Costello has a .712 OPS and 19 extra-base hits. In the last 10 games, he's hitting .324 with two homeruns and five RBIs with seven runs. He played four games with Pensacola (AA) earlier in the season.
Dean Lockery (West Virginia Black Bears - Pittsburgh Pirates Class A Short Season) - Lockery has played 21 games for the Black Bears since starting the season in Bradenton. He has scored 10 runs with seven RBIs, while hitting three doubles and totaling 15 hits.
Nick Garland (GCL Pirates - Pittsburgh Pirates Rookie) - Garland played in six games for the GCL Pirates, who opened the season on June 24. He drove in two runs.
J.P. Sportman (York Revolution - Atlantic League) - Sportman has played in 51 games for York this season. He owns a .304 batting average, while hitting three homeruns with 24 RBIs and 30 runs scored. He has 21 extra-base hits. Sportman was recently placed on the seven-day injured list.
Tom Curtin (St. Paul Saints - American Association) - Curtin signed with the Saints on June 15 and pitched in six games with five starts. He tossed 19.0 innings and had nine strikeouts.