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Ernie Clement (Virginia) on the Dutchmen base path during the 2014 season.

February 16th, 2015

The 2015 college baseball season is underway, and several former (and future) Dutchmen contributed heavily to opening weekend efforts from their teams. 

Ernie Clement, Virginia- The 2014 Dutchmen hit leadoff and played center field in each of Virginia’s three victories on opening weekend against East Carolina. Clement, a true freshman, went 2-for-4 on Friday and 3-for-5 in the series finale. Clement scored a pair of runs in the Virginia sweep, and his five hits were tied for the most on the team during the series. He also hauled in all ten balls hit to him in center. The Cavaliers are the nation’s #2 team, and the defending national runner-up. 

 

Adam Lee, Lipscomb- Lee, who played for the 2014 Dutchmen, got off to a hot start in 2015, hitting .600 in Lipscomb’s sweep of Butler. In a 9-8 victory over the Bulldogs on Saturday, Lee clubbed a sixth-inning home run to give the Bisons a 6-2 lead. Later, in the bottom of the ninth, Lee drove in the game-winning run after he was hit by a pitch. Lee went 4-for-4 on the game, and drove in four total runs on the series and scored six.

 

Sean Spicer, Baylor- The Baylor right-hander, who spent the 2013 summer in Albany, earned two saves in the Bears’ sweep of Cal Poly. Spicer faced nine hitters, and recorded outs against each one, including one strikeout. He did not allow any hits, and the only base-runner came via fielder’s choice. The first save saw Spicer end the game started by 2014 Albany Dutchmen Pitcher of the Year Drew Tolson, Baylor’s Opening Day starter. *Update: Spicer was named Big 12 Co-Pitcher of the Week for his performance.

 

Chris Amorosi, Siena- Although the Saints dropped three games to Central Florida, the 2014 and 2015 Dutchmen lefty worked three nearly flawless innings in his first outing of the season for Siena. Amorosi struck out three of the ten hitters he faced, allowing only one baserunner. He also delivered 29 of his 43 pitches for strikes. The effort from Amorosi kept the Saints within striking distance of UCF, who picked up a 4-1 victory in the season opener. 

 

Thomas Belcher, Indiana- The 2013 Dutchmen right-hander worked three scoreless innings for the Hoosiers and picked up the win in Indiana’s series-clinching win at #22 ranked Stanford. Belcher worked out of a jam in the ninth inning, getting a strikeout and a groundout to strand the winning Stanford run on second base. Belcher allowed just two hits and struck out one, and came on in relief of 2014 Dutchmen pitcher Austin Foote, who made his college baseball debut.

 

Brian Ruhm, California Baptist- Ruhm, a 2013 member of the Dutchmen, has led the offense of California Baptist in his first six games with the team. Ruhm has drilled two home runs and driven in seven RBI’s. His homers, RBIs, and runs scored (6) are all team-highs through two series. His biggest game came on February 7, when he went 4-for-5 with five runs batted in. He was a triple short of the cycle, and clubbed a grand slam in the 16-1 victory over Cal State LA.