Summer League Ball Since taking over the program before the 2007 season, the Virginia Tech baseball staff has stressed the importance of its players taking part in summer leagues. “Summer baseball is a priority for us,” head coach Pete Hughes said. “We will always work to get our kids placed in the best leagues in the country so they can develop and become better players. Our guys who want to reach their potential in baseball are going to play summer baseball at the highest levels.” Here is a complete recap of the 20 Hokies who competed in summer leagues in 2008.
Tony Balisteri
2 0 0 9 B A S E B A L L
Made 13 appearances (three starts) for the Keene Swamp Bats of the New England Collegiate League … Went 2-2 with a 3.73 ERA in 31.1 innings … Held opponents to a .215 batting average and recorded 31 strikeouts … Walked 12 and allowed 26 hits.
Klint Reed
Started 23 of 31 games played for the Sanford Mainers of the New England Collegiate League … Batted .225 with 17 walks, 15 runs scored and five stolen bases … Hit three doubles and knocked in four runs.
Sean Ryan
Buddy Sosnoskie
Played in 33 games for the Lake Norman Copperheads, who took runner-up honors at the Southern Collegiate League postseason tournament … Batted .275 with 14 runs scored, 28 hits, three doubles, a triple and eight RBIs … Also swiped eight bases … Was a mid-season all-star.
Austin Wates
Played in 55 games for the Rochester Honkers of the Northwoods League … Hit .261 with 25 runs scored and 19 RBIs … Swiped 14 bases to go with nine doubles and a homer.
Mickey White
Played in 56 games for the Rochester Honkers of the Northwoods League … Hit .273 with 25 runs scored and 20 RBIs … Tallied 14 doubles, four home runs and seven steals … Was a mid-season all-star.
Started 40 of 43 games played for the Outer Banks Daredevils of the Coastal Plain League … Hit .255 with 19 runs scored, two doubles and four RBIs … Dropped down five sac bunts and stole nine bases.
Played first base and outfield for the Ohio Warhawks, who won the World Wood Bat Association National Championship.
Rhett Ballard
Michael Seaborn
Started 38 of 43 games played for the Outer Banks Daredevils of the Coastal Plain League … Batted .255 with 13 runs scored, four doubles, a homer and 10 RBIs … Stole three bases.
Rob Whitley
Went 3-0 in 12 appearances for the YarmouthDennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod League … Compiled a 2.08 ERA in 17.1 innings pitched … Allowed 11 hits and seven walks, while striking out 20.
Matt Blow
Hit .175 in 19 games (11 starts) for the Staunton Braves of the Valley League … Walked 10 times, hit one home run and tallied five RBIs.
Steve Bumbry
Started 29 regular season games for the Youse’s Maryland Orioles, who won the Cal Ripken Sr. League Title, the AAABA National Championship and finished ranked second in the nation among summer league teams … Batted .189 with 21 runs scored and 13 RBIs … Walked 28 times and stole 11 bases.
Kyle Cichy
Appeared in 18 games (three starts) for the Luray Wranglers, who went on to capture the Valley League Championship and finish ranked fourth in the nation among summer league teams … Went 4-1 with three saves and compiled a 1.80 ERA … Struck out 58 batters in 45 innings pitched, while allowing 36 hits and only 11 walks … Limited opponents to a .209 batting average … Was a mid-season all-star.
Ty Hohman
Started 25 of 26 games played for the Saratoga Phillies of the New York Collegiate League … Batted .265 with seven doubles, eight RBIs and 13 runs scored … Was a mid-season all-star.
Chris Kay
Started 20 of 25 games played for the Columbia Blowfish of the Coastal Plain League … Batted .197 with seven runs scored and seven RBIs … Caught five runners stealing.
Brandon Lower
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Sean McDermott
Hit .234 in 23 games (18 starts) for the Covington Lumberjacks of the Valley League … Blasted four home runs and tallied 14 RBIs, while walking 10 times and scoring nine runs.
Matt Shoemaker
Played second base for the Ohio Warhawks, who won the World Wood Bat Association National Championship … Went 2-for-3 in the championship game with a double, three RBIs, a stolen base and a run scored.
Anthony Sosnoskie
Was the runner-up for League MVP honors after a stellar season for the Lake Norman Copperheads, who lost in the finals of the Southern Collegiate League tournament … Played 45 games and led the team in many offensive categories, including batting average (.368), hits (53), doubles (18), home runs (7), RBIs (40) and slugging percentage (.653) … Was a mid-season all-star.
Started nine games on the mound for the Fauquier Gators of the Valley League … Went 4-1 with a 3.40 ERA in 47.2 innings pitched … Struck out 38 batters, while walking 17 … Held opponents to a .254 batting average.
Justin Wright
Made seven starts on the mound for the Bethesda Big Train of the Cal Ripken Sr. League … Went 3-1 with a 2.45 ERA in 33 innings pitched … Held opponents to a .227 batting average and recorded 26 strikeouts … Allowed 27 hits and 17 walks … Was a mid-season all-star.
Dave Zappacosta
Tossed 22.2 innings in 22 appearances for the New Market Rebels of the Valley League … Went 0-1 and recorded one save … Gave up 24 hits, but walked only five batters, while striking out 26.
Catcher Anthony Sosnoskie is just one of many Hokies who have taken advantage of the summer league placement offered by the Virginia Tech baseball staff. In the summer of 2008, Sosnoskie was the runnerup for MVP honors of the Southern Collegiate League after hitting .368 with seven homers and 40 RBIs.