University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols in Summer leagues update
June 30, 2008 | Baseball
With the month of June already nearly in the rear-view mirror, numerous Tennessee baseball players are continuing to enjoy success in various collegiate summer leagues around the country.
Rising junior Nick Hernandez boasts impressive numbers for the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League. Through three starts spanning 18 1/3 innings, the left-hander owns a 3-0 record and a miniscule 0.98 ERA. After setting a Tennessee single-season record with 0.97 walks per nine innings this past spring, Hernandez has 15 strikeouts against just two walks thus far for the 8-4 Kettleers.
Tennessee rising senior Cody Brown has risen to the top of the batting statistics for the Woodstock River Bandits of the Valley Baseball League. The third baseman from Knoxville, Tenn., leads the team in batting average (.398), runs (18), hits (33), doubles (7), slugging (.506) and on-base percentage (.447). Brown has driven in 10 runs on 33 hits through 22 games played, and the River Bandits own a 10-13 record.
Another UT senior-to-be, right-handed pitcher Danny Wiltz, also is making waves in the Valley Baseball League. Through eight appearances spanning 8 1/3 innings for the Waynesboro Generals, Wiltz has maintained his perfect 0.00 ERA. He has three saves to his credit, and he has recorded 17 strikeouts and just three walks while holding opposing batters to a meager .100 average. The Generals own a 15-7 record so far this summer.
Blake Forsythe, a catcher from Memphis, Tenn., who will be a sophomore next season for the Vols, leads the Thomasville Hi-Toms of the Coastal Plain League with seven home runs while ranking second on the club with 19 RBI through 27 games. Forsythe has started all 24 games in which he has played, and his seven longballs are tied for the league lead. The HiToms own a 16-11 record.
Fellow rising sophomore P.J. Polk has continued his productive summer with the La Crosse Loggers of the Northwoods League. The outfielder has started 28 of the Loggers??? 29 games and sports a healthy .420 on-base percentage. The 2008 SEC All-Freshman honoree is batting .291 with a team-best 23 runs scored. He has 34 hits, including eight doubles and a pair of home runs, while driving in 15 runs for the 19-10 first-place Loggers.
