Baseball Excels in Summer Leagues
September 18, 2017 | Baseball
LOS ANGELES โ UCLA's baseball program saw 27 of its returning and incoming players compete in summer baseball leagues around the country, including competing for USA Baseball and in the Cape Cod League and Northwoods League.
Jon Olsen had the opportunity to compete with the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team over the summer against international competition including Japan, Cuba and Chinese Taipei. Olsen threw 10.1 innings for the red, white and blue and went 1-0 with a 2.67 ERA with 15 strikeouts in six appearances. Team USA won all three of its international series and finished with an impressive 15-5 record.
Three Bruins โ Justin Hooper, Michael Toglia and Brian Gadsby had opportunities to compete in the prestigious Cape Cod League in the New England area. Hooper was named a Cape Cod League All-Star as he made six appearances, five starts for Cotuit and finished with a 2-1 record and a 2.31 ERA. He recorded 21 strikeouts compared to just four walks in 23.1 innings on the mound. Toglia finished the summer strong for Cotuit as he hit .316 over his last 10 games with 12 RBIS and five home runs.
A total of 10 UCLA players played in the Northwoods League this summer as Chase Strumpf and Daniel Amaral earned postseason honors, while Jake Pries was named to the All-Star Team. Amaral was one of the league's top hitters in 2017 batting .347 with 41 runs scored and 27 RBIs. He had 20 extra-base hits to go along with his 30 walks compared to just 19 strikeouts. Strumpf hit .355 for Duluth with six home runs and 15 doubles, while also driving in 32 runs. Pries finished the year hitting .311 with six extra-best knocks, 10 RBIs and 11 runs scored.
Three incoming Bruins earned postseason honors in the West Coast League this summer โ Holden Powell, Zach Pettway and Kevin Kendall. Powell was tabbed All-WCC season team after posting a 4-3 record in 10 starts for Bellingham with a 4.08 ERA, while striking out 43 batters in over 46 innings of work. Pettway and Kendall earned honorable mention accolades. Pettway threw 40.2 innings in eight starts and registered a 4.20 ERA with 45 strikeouts and a 4-1 record. Kendall ended the season for Post Angeles hitting .301 in 28 games with 10 RBIs and 12 runs scored.
Below are brief recaps of UCLA's players in summer league action.
Daniel Amaral
Junior โ Outfielder
Northwoods League (Mankato)
Named to Northwoods League Postseason All-Star Team โฆ batted .347 with 13 doubles, seven triples, ย 27 RBIs and 41 runs scored โฆ recorded 30 walks compared to just 19 strikeouts โฆ stole 23 bases โฆ played alongside Ryan Kreidler and Kyle Cuellar.
Kyle Cuellar
Sophomore โ Infielder
Northwoods League (Mankato)
Batted .272 with three home runs, eight doubles, 31 RBIs and 37 runs scored โฆ registered 39 walks compared to just 26 strikeouts for a .420 on-base percentage โฆ played alongside teammates Daniel Amaral and Ryan Kreidler.
Brian Gadsby
Junior โ Right-Handed Pitcher
Cape Cod League (Falmouth)
Went 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA in 14 appearances for Falmouth โฆ totaled 21 strikeouts and eight walks in 21 innings.
Ryan Garcia
Sophomore โ Right-Handed Pitcher
Northwoods League (Waterloo)
Went 3-2 with a 1.88 ERA in 10 starts for Waterloo โฆ totaled 52 strikeouts compared to just 32 walks in 48 innings.
Curtis Godin
Junior โ Outfielder
New England League (North Adams)
Batted .178 with one triple, three RBIs and five runs โฆ recorded three stolen bases โฆ named fastest player in the league.
Ty Haselman
RS Freshman โ Catcher
Coastal Plains League (Lexington County)
Batted .242 with one double, three RBIs and one scored โฆ registered a .286 on-base percentage and a .273 slugging percentage โฆ stole one base.
Jake Hirabayashi
Junior โ Infielder
Northwoods League (Lacrosse)
Hit .268 with two home runs, seven doubles, 23 RBIS and 29 runs scored โฆ recorded a .356 slugging percentage and a .420 on-base percentage with 33 walks and eight hit by pitches โฆ stole 15 bases โฆ played with teammate Jeremy Ydens.
Justin Hooper
Junior โ Left-Handed Pitcher
Cape Cod League (Cotuit)
Named Cape Cod League All-Star โฆ went 2-1 with a 2.31 ERA in six games, including five starts โฆ tallied 21 strikeouts compared to just four walks in 23.1 innings โฆ played with teammate Michael Toglia.
Gavin Johns
Junior โ Catcher
Great West League (Chico)
All-Great West League second team selection โฆ batted .477 with three home runs, two triples, seven doubles, 19 RBIs and 19 runs scored โฆ slugged .785 and recorded a .575 on-base percentage with 10 walks โฆ played with teammate Jack Ralston.
Kevin Kendall
Freshman โ Infielder
West Coast League (Port Angeles)
Earned All-West Coat League honorable mention โฆ hit .301 with seven doubles, one triple, 10 RBIs and 12 runs scored โฆ slugged .410 with a .383 on-base percentage with 11 walks.
Ryan Kreidler
Sophomore โ Infielder
Northwoods League (Mankato)
Batted .256 with one home run, 13 doubles, 21 RBIs and 29 runs scored โฆ registered a .354 slugging percentage and a .388 on-base percentage with 30 walks โฆ played with teammates Kyle Cuellar and Daniel Amaral.
Will McInerny
Sophomore โ Catcher
West Coast League (Walla Walla)
Hit .286 with three runs scored โฆ recorded a .286 slugging percentage and a .375 on-base percentage โฆ played with incoming freshman Garrett Mitchell.
Garrett Mitchell
Freshman โ Outfielder
West Coast League (Walla Walla)
Batted .462 with one home run, one triple and three doubles in just 13 at-bats โฆ recorded four RBIs and four runs scored โฆ slugged 1.077 and recorded a .563 on-base percentage โฆ played with future teammate Will McInerny.
Kyle Mora
Sophomore โ Right-Handed Pitcher
New England League (Newport)
All-New England Collegiate Baseball League first team selection โฆ All-Star selection โฆ went 3-1 with a 1.75 ERA in seven appearances, making five starts โฆ tallied 32 strikeouts with seven walks in 36 innings.
Jon Olsen
Junior โ Right-Handed Pitcher
USA Baseball Collegiate National Team
Went 1-0 with a 2.67 ERA in six appearances โฆ recorded 15 strikeouts compared to just two walks โฆ first UCLA player to compete for Team USA since James Kaprielian in 2014.
Zach Pettway
Freshman โ Right-Handed Pitcher
West Coast League (Bellingham)
Earned All-West Coat League honorable mention โฆ went 4-1 with a 4.20 ERA in eight starts โฆ recorded 45 strikeouts compared to just 14 walks in 40.2 innings of work โฆ played with fellow incoming freshman Holden Powell.
Holden Powell
Freshman โ Right-Handed Pitcher
West Coast League (Bellingham)
All-West Coast League second team selection โฆ went 4-3 with a 4.08 ERA in 10 starts โฆ tallied 43 strikeouts compared to 26 walks in 46.1 innings pitched โฆ played with fellow incoming freshman Zach Pettway.
Jordan Prendiz
RS Freshman โ Outfielder
West Coast League (Wenatchee)
Batted .234 with one home run, two doubles, nine RBIs and 21 runs scored โฆ registered a .325 slugging percentage and a .417 on-base percentage with 23 walks โฆ stole three bases โฆ played with incoming freshman Michael Townsend.
Jake Pries
Junior โ Outfielder
Northwoods League (Duluth)
Named to Northwoods League All-Star Team โฆ batted .311 with one home run, five doubles, 10 RBIs and 11 runs scored โฆ slugged .419 and recorded a .402 on-base percentage with seven walks โฆ played with teammates Chase Strumpf, Jack Stronach and Nick Scheidler.
Jack Ralston
Junior โ Right-Handed Pitcher
Great West League (Chico)
Went 2-2 with a 3.51 ERA in eight starts โฆ recorded 36 strikeouts compared to just 23 walks in 41.0 innings of work โฆ played with teammate Gavin Johns.
Nick Scheidler
Sophomore โ Left-Handed Pitcher
Northwoods League (Duluth)
Went 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in nine appearances, including seven starts โฆ collected 24 strikeouts in 35.0 innings on the mound โฆ played with teammates Jake Pries, Jack Stronach and Chase Strumpf.
Jack Stronach
Sophomore โ Infielder
Northwoods League (Duluth)
Hit .159 with one double, six RBIs and 13 runs scored โฆ recorded a .167 slugging percentage and a .277 on-base percentage with 17 walks โฆ played with teammates Jake Pries, Jack Stronach and Nick Scheidler.
Chase Strumpf
Sophomore โ Infielder
Northwoods League (Duluth)
Named to Northwoods League Postseason All-Star Team โฆ batted .335 with six home runs, 15 doubles, 32 RBIs and 25 runs scored โฆ registered a .549 slugging percentage and a .425 on-base percentage with 19 walks and eight hit by pitches โฆ played with teammates Jake Pries, Jack Stronach and Nick Scheidler.
RJ Teijeiro
Freshman โ Infielder
West Coast League (Gresham)
Batted .289 with one double, four RBIs and nine runs scored โฆ recorded a .311 slugging percentage and a .389 on-base percentage with five walks.
Michael Toglia
Sophomore โ Infielder
Cape Code League (Cotuit)
Batted .248 with seven home runs, six doubles, 27 RBIs and 19 runs scored โฆ tallied a .457 slugging percentage and a .306 on-base percentage with 10 walks โฆ played with teammate Justin Hooper.
Michael Townsend
Freshman โ Right-Handed Pitcher
West Coast League (Wenatchee)
Went 1-2 with a 7.71 ERA in seven appearances, including four starts โฆ recorded 14 strikeouts compared to just seven walks in 18.2 innings on the mound โฆ played with UCLA redshirt freshman Jordan Prendiz.
Jeremy Ydens
Sophomore โ Outfielder
Northwoods League (Lacrosse)
Batted .240 with two home runs, two triples and eight doubles, 19 RBIS and 16 runs scored โฆ registered a .363 slugging percentage and a .335 on-base percentage with 16 walks โฆ stole 11 bases โฆ played with teammate Jake Hirabayashi.
