University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Baseball Summer Leagues Update - July 5
July 5, 2023 | Baseball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – With summer leagues in full swing across the country, here is a quick update on the 12 Diamond Heels who are competing in seven leagues.
Appalachian League
Connor Hegan (Burlington Sock Puppets)
Hegan has made eight relief appearances and converted his lone save opportunity. He has struck out 11 in 11.0 innings pitched and is holding opposing hitters to a .179 batting average.
New England Baseball League
Nelson Berkwich (Newport Gulls)
Berkwich joined the Newport Gulls at the end of June and has appeared in one game, striking out five in 2.1 innings pitched without issuing a walk in his debut on June 29.
Cape Cod League
Casey Cook (Yardmouth-Dennis Red Sox)
Cook has played in 15 games since arriving June 12. He has reached base safely in eight of the 12 games which he batted. He has drawn five walks and driven in six runs.
Dalton Pence (Bourne Braves)
Pence has made three relief appearances for the Braves, striking out six in five innings pitched without issuing a walk or allowing a run. He has a 2-0 record with a save and an 0.00 ERA.
Ben Peterson (Chatham Anglers)
Peterson is 1-0 with a save in four appearances with Chatham this summer. He earned his first save of the summer July 3 against Harwich, with four strikeouts in three scoreless innings of work.
Coastal Plain League
Carter French (Asheboro Zookeepers)
French leads the Zookeepers with a .360 batting average (9-for-25) in nine games played. He is tied for the team lead in stolen bases with five. He went 3-for-3 with two RBIs in a win over HiToms on June 23.
Cameron Padgett (HP Thomasville HiToms)
Padgett has appeared in four games and made two starts. He has 15 strikeouts in 12.2 innings pitched with a strikeout to walk ratio of 5:1 (15:3).
Kyle Percival (Lexington County Blowfish)
Percival has made two starts for Lexington County and has thrown 6.1 innings.
Jackson Rusiecki (Asheboro Zookeepers)
Has seen limited action for the zookeepers, playing in just four games.
Northwoods League
Will Simmons (Madison Mallards)
Simmons has pitched in eight games for a total of 19.2 innings with 20 strikeouts. He has a 1.8 strikeout to walk ratio.
Ohio Valley League
Reece Holbrook (Full Count Rhythm)
Holbrook has played in 21 games and is hitting .325 with nine RBIs and 10 stolen bases. He has seven multi-hit games, including a pair of three-hit games.
Ripken League
John Long (Bethesda Big Train)
Long has played in 15 games since joining the team in early June. He has drawn 10 base on balls, stolen six bases and driven in four runs in those games. The team is 11-4 in games Long played.
Appalachian League
Connor Hegan (Burlington Sock Puppets)
Hegan has made eight relief appearances and converted his lone save opportunity. He has struck out 11 in 11.0 innings pitched and is holding opposing hitters to a .179 batting average.
New England Baseball League
Nelson Berkwich (Newport Gulls)
Berkwich joined the Newport Gulls at the end of June and has appeared in one game, striking out five in 2.1 innings pitched without issuing a walk in his debut on June 29.
Cape Cod League
Casey Cook (Yardmouth-Dennis Red Sox)
Cook has played in 15 games since arriving June 12. He has reached base safely in eight of the 12 games which he batted. He has drawn five walks and driven in six runs.
Dalton Pence (Bourne Braves)
Pence has made three relief appearances for the Braves, striking out six in five innings pitched without issuing a walk or allowing a run. He has a 2-0 record with a save and an 0.00 ERA.
Ben Peterson (Chatham Anglers)
Peterson is 1-0 with a save in four appearances with Chatham this summer. He earned his first save of the summer July 3 against Harwich, with four strikeouts in three scoreless innings of work.
Coastal Plain League
Carter French (Asheboro Zookeepers)
French leads the Zookeepers with a .360 batting average (9-for-25) in nine games played. He is tied for the team lead in stolen bases with five. He went 3-for-3 with two RBIs in a win over HiToms on June 23.
Cameron Padgett (HP Thomasville HiToms)
Padgett has appeared in four games and made two starts. He has 15 strikeouts in 12.2 innings pitched with a strikeout to walk ratio of 5:1 (15:3).
Kyle Percival (Lexington County Blowfish)
Percival has made two starts for Lexington County and has thrown 6.1 innings.
Jackson Rusiecki (Asheboro Zookeepers)
Has seen limited action for the zookeepers, playing in just four games.
Northwoods League
Will Simmons (Madison Mallards)
Simmons has pitched in eight games for a total of 19.2 innings with 20 strikeouts. He has a 1.8 strikeout to walk ratio.
Ohio Valley League
Reece Holbrook (Full Count Rhythm)
Holbrook has played in 21 games and is hitting .325 with nine RBIs and 10 stolen bases. He has seven multi-hit games, including a pair of three-hit games.
Ripken League
John Long (Bethesda Big Train)
Long has played in 15 games since joining the team in early June. He has drawn 10 base on balls, stolen six bases and driven in four runs in those games. The team is 11-4 in games Long played.
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