Summer Notebook: Three More Blue Devils Named All-Stars

Duke baseball players Alexander Hassan, Michael Ness and Michael Seander were named to their respective summer league All-Star Teams last week. Hassan and Seander both earned New England Collegiate All-Star honors while Ness was placed on the Atlanta Baseball Confederation All-Star squad. With Hassan, Ness and Seander’s selections, six Blue Devils have now earned All-Star honors this summer.

"It is great to see three more of our players achieve all star recognition in their respective summer leagues,” Duke head coach Sean McNally said. “Each of these rising sophomores will be counted on to expand their roles on and off the field next season, and we are glad that they are preparing for next season with solid summer campaigns."

Alexexander Hassan ? RHP/OF ? Freshman
New England Collegiate Baseball League (Pittsfield Dukes)
Alexander Hassan was selected as one of three starting outfielders on the NECBL’s South Division All-Star Team, joining Blue Devil classmate Michael Seander on the squad. In the All-Star game on July 22, Hassan went 1-for-3 with a run from the leadoff spot to lead the South Division to an 8-0 victory.

Hassan is currently hitting .298 and leads Pittsfield with 34 runs, 17 RBI and 45 total bases. He has also come up safe in each of his team-leading 15 stolen base attempts and has yet to commit an error in the outfield. A two-way player, Hassan has also posted a 1.80 ERA in three appearances on the mound, including two starts.

Pittsfield Dukes
http://www.pittsfielddukes.com/index.html

Michael Ness ? RHP ? Freshman
Atlantic Baseball Confederation (Jersey Shore Tides)
Michael Ness has been lights out on the mound for the Jersey Shore Tides and was named to the ABC’s Yogi Berra All-Star Team last week.

As a starter, the 6-4 right-hander has compiled a 2.81 ERA through 32 innings, while allowing one earned run or less in eight of his nine starts. He has also been dominant as a reliever, giving up only one hit through six scoreless innings in relief. He has surrendered just 33 hits and 6 walks through 38 total innings for a team-low 1.03 WHIP. He also leads the Tides with 35 strikeouts.

Atlantic Baseball Confederation
http://www.abccl.com/home.htm

Michael Seander ? RHP ? Freshman
New England Collegiate Baseball League (Newport Gulls)
Right-hander Michael Seander was named to the NECBL South Division All-Star squad along with teammate Alex Hassan. In the NECBL All-Star game on July 22, Seander pitched a hitless inning in relief while striking out two of his four batters faced to help the South Division to an 8-0 victory.

Seander is tied for third in the NECBL with seven saves and boasts a 2-1 record along with a 1.76 ERA. He leads the Gulls in total appearances and has racked up 18 strikeouts through 15.1 innings of work. Opposing hitters are batting just .208 against the righty and have managed just 11 base hits, only two of which were for extra bases.

Newport Gulls
http://www.newportgulls.com/

Will Currier ? RHP/INF ? Freshman
Texas Collegiate League (Brazos Valley Bombers)
Will Currier has adjusted well to his role as the Bombers’ No. 2 starter and has been a model of consistency on the mound. With two wins under his belt, Currier has helped his team stay in the hunt for first place in the Tris Speaker Division of the TCL. The 6-4 right-hander has made five starts while posting a 4.55 ERA in nearly 28 inning of work. He is holding opposing batters to a .249 batting average while giving up only two long balls all season.

Brazos Valley Bombers
http://www.bvbombers.com/

Jonathan Foreman ? RHP/INF ? Freshman
Coastal Plain League (Asheboro Copperheads)
Two-way player Jonathan Foreman has shown consistency on the mound on for the Copperheads to hold his spot in the starting rotation. Also a middle infielder, the right-handed Foreman has posted a 3.45 ERA through seven starts and 10 total appearances. His summer resume includes 32 strikeouts and one complete game on the mound. He has also driven in nine RBI while scoring seven runs and knocking three extra base hits at the plate.

Asheboro Copperheads
http://www.teamcopperhead.com/

Nate Freiman ? C/INF ? Sophomore
Cape Cod League (Orleans Cardinals)
Duke’s leading hitter in 2007 has continued to rake in The Cape. A rising junior, Nate Freiman has knocked 27 hits for the Cardinals to hold a share of the team lead. His .277 batting average is second on the team, as are his four doubles and 19 RBI. He is also one of six Cardinals with a home run and has split innings between first base and the outfield.

Orleans Cardinals
http://www.orleanscardinals.com/

Jeremy Gould ? LHP/INF ? Freshman
Texas Collegiate League (Denton Outlaws)
Utility man Jeremy Gould has become a valuable piece of the Denton lineup and has appeared in 28 of the Outlaw’s 33 games. Gould has knocked in 16 RBI and scored nine times at the plate while adding a triple, a home run and three stolen bases. He has also snatched a win as a relief pitcher and has held holding opposing batters to a .243 average.

Denton Outlaws
http://www.thedentonoutlaws.com/

Jonathan Nicolla ? INF ? Junior
New York Collegiate Baseball League (Saratoga Phillies)
Jonathan Nicolla has maintained the pace that earned him all-star honors two weeks ago and is one of just two players to start all 33 of the Phillies’ games. Used primarily as a designated hitter, Nicolla has been in a groove and currently boasts a .268 batting average with eight doubles, a triple and a home run. He has knocked in 18 runs and scored 15 times while also hitting .278 with eight RBI in two-out situations. Nicolla has also seen action in the outfield and at first base and has committed only 1 error in 141 chances.

Saratoga Phillies
http://www.saratogaphillies.com/

Gabriel Saade ? INF ? Freshman
New England Collegiate Baseball League (Newport Gulls)
Duke middle infielder Gabriel Saade continues to assert himself as a threat on the base paths and has played a prominent role in the success of the Gulls, who remain only one game out of first place in the NECBL Southern Division. Saade has swiped 10 bases in 12 attempts and has scored 17 runs for the second-most on the Newport squad. A staple of the Gulls’ infield, Saade has started 29 of the team’s 33 games while knocking four doubles and a home run for 10 RBI.

Newport Gulls
http://www.newportgulls.com/

Matt Williams ? C ? Sophomore
Texas Collegiate League (Duncanville Deputies)
Blue Devil backstop Matt Williams has emerged as one of the best defensive catchers in the TCL and has committed just one error in 26 games behind the plate for Duncanville. The 2007 TCL All-Star has collected 16 hits, six RBI and five runs scored to help keep the Deputies in the hunt for the Tris Speaker Division title.

Duncanville Deputies
http://www.duncanvilledeputies.com/

Andrew Wolcott ? RHP ? Sophomore
Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League (Delaware Cows)
Andrew Wolcott has continued to churn out quality innings for the Cows, both as a starter and a reliever. The towering right-hander has posted a 2-0 record and a 2.39 ERA through 26.1 innings while racking up 20 strikeouts compared to just four walks. With just 28 hits allowed all season, Wolcott’s 1.22 WHIP is among the best on the team. Wolcott also participated in the 2007 GLSCL All-Star Game, where he pitched one inning of relief and gave up one run on two hits.

Delaware Cows
http://www.delawarecows.com/

Other Blue Devils in Summer Ball
Michael Ghizzoni ? OF ? Freshman
Southern Collegiate Baseball League (Davidson Copperheads)
http://www.scbl.org/viewpage.asp?key=15050&pi=Team

Kyle Butler ? RHP/INF ? Sophomore
Fuquay-Varina (Twins)

Ron Causey ? RHP ? Junior
Local Greensboro League (Greensboro)

Kyle Kreick ? C ? Junior
Local Dallas League (Dallas)

Christopher Manno ? LHP/OF ? Freshman
New York Youth Service League (NY Youth Service)

Ryan Perry ? RHP ? Junior
Karl Young Collegiate Baseball League (Sky Sox)

Tim Sherlock ? OF ? Sophomore
Arizona Summer Collegiate League

-d-u-k-e-

Summer Notebook: Three More Blue Devils Named All-Stars

Duke information