Canes Shine in Summer Baseball Leagues
By Josh White
HurricaneSports.com
School is back in session and the Canes have begun working out at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field.
But this summer 13 Hurricanes competed across seven different summer leagues, including four in the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League.
Check below to see how Miami’s players performed over the summer.
Michael Amditis: Wareham Gatemen, Cape Cod Baseball League
Amditis batted .333 in eight games for the Gatemen. The Boca Raton, Fla., native’s hot start helped Wareham capture the top seed in the postseason before the Gatemen went onto win their eighth championship in franchise history.
Dylan Cloonan: Newport Gulls, New England Collegiate Baseball League/Waynesboro Generals, Valley Baseball League
The two-way player began his summer in the New England Collegiate Baseball League with the Gulls. The rising sophomore batted .290 and walked eight times in 10 games for Newport. On the mound, Cloonan registered a 2.45 ERA in 3.2 innings pitched. After shipping down the East Coast, the 6-foot-2 sophomore picked up five hits in six games for the Generals including two extra-base hits.
Jeremy Cook: Staunton Braves, Valley Baseball League
The southpaw impressed out of the bullpen for the Braves, earning All-Star recognition in the Valley Baseball League. Cook went 4-2 with a 3.04 ERA in 20 appearances. The Weston, Fla., native notched 41 strikeouts in 23.2 innings pitched. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound hurler held opposing hitters to a .183 batting average and picked up one save.
Willy Escala: Anchorage Bucs, Alaska Baseball League
Escala ranked among the Bucs’ leaders during the regular season with 30 runs scored. The middle infielder was named to the Alaska Baseball League All-Star Game and earned the league’s All-Star Game MVP Award. The sophomore helped Anchorage reach the ABL Championship, driving in three runs in three playoff contests.
Raymond Gil: Harwich Mariners, Cape Cod Baseball League/Winchester Royals, Valley Baseball League
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound slugger started the summer in the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League. Facing some of the best arms in the country, Gil reached base in five of his first six for the Mariners. After transitioning to the VBL, the power-hitting corner infielder played an integral role in the Royals’ late season charge. Gil batted .294 and blasted a team-high three home runs in the postseason. The Miami native belted five round trippers and drove in 14 runs in 18 games for Winchester.
Kam Lane: Olean Oilers, New York Collegiate Baseball League
The Hurricanes’ lone returning senior capped off his summer on a high note. Lane reached base in his final eight games for the Oilers. The speedy outfielder batted .333 and scored four runs in five postseason games to help Olean reach the New York Collegiate Baseball League Championship.
Tyler Paige: Danbury Westerners, New England Collegiate Baseball League
Paige drew 10 walks in just 22 games for the Westerners. The versatile infielder played three different positions, including shortstop, before returning to Coral Gables for summer classes.
Isaac Quiñones: Wisconsin Woodchucks, Northwoods League
The Freshman All-American tallied an impressive 17 assists behind the dish compared to only four errors. The Pembroke Pines, Fla., native picked up 11 RBIs and scored 11 runs for the Woodchucks.
Gabe Rivera: Harwich Mariners, Cape Cod Baseball League
The sophomore flashed the leather for the Mariners. Rivera recorded 40 putouts, while not making an error in 30 games. The 5-foot-11, 210-pound slugger finished tied for fourth in the league in triples.
Daniel Rivero: Anchorage Bucs, Alaska Baseball League
Rivero logged a 2.73 ERA and struck out 34 batters in 29.2 innings pitched. The right-hander held opponents to a .227 batting average. In four of his five starts, the junior allowed two or fewer runs.
Joe Sparber: Florida Pokers, South Florida Collegiate Baseball League
The Lincroft, N.J., native served as a two-way player for the Pokers. Sparber struck out six hitters in 6.1 innings pitched in his first three appearances as a collegian. The right-hander limited opposing hitters to a .190 batting average. Defensively, Sparber totaled nine assists to only one error.
Alex Toral: Wisconsin Woodchucks, Northwoods League
The power-hitting first baseman clubbed seven home runs, which tied for the club lead. Toral finished in the top-five in seven offensive categories on the Woodchucks, including 29 RBIs. The sophomore swiped seven bases for Wisconsin.
Gregory Veliz: Chatham Anglers, Cape Cod Baseball League
Veliz dazzled as the Anglers’ closer, recording 32 strikeouts in 21 innings pitched. The hard-throwing right-hander notched a 2.57 ERA and four saves in 13 appearances for Chatham. The Key West, Fla., native was named to the East Division All-Star team.
