2013/14 Dutchmen Nick Morton warms up mid-inning.
It was a big offensive week for Albany Dutchmen alumni, led by a 2012 player hitting over .850 in a tournament in Arizona and a walk-off from a brand new Dutchmen player.
Grayson Lewis, Rice- The newly minted Dutchmen infielder gave the Rice Owls their sixth straight victory on Saturday, drilling a two-run single in the bottom of the ninth for an 8-7 victory over Louisiana Tech. Lewis had hits in three of Rice’s four games last week, and added a pinch-hit RBI in Sunday’s series finale. His four weekend hits helped lead Rice to a sweep, and the Owls rose to No. 8 in the nation in the USA Today Coaches Poll.
Adam Lee, Lipscomb- Lee continued his stellar play for Lipscomb with a .500 week, leading the Bisons to a 3-1 record and a weekend sweep of Quinnipiac. The 2014 Dutchmen drilled a two-run homer in Lipscomb’s midweek loss to Tennessee Tech, He added another home run on Saturday, a solo shot in the third inning. Lee went 3-for-4 in that game, and hit safely in all four games this past week. He is currently hitting .370 for the 11-5 Bisons with a team-high 17 runs scored.
Austin Goeke, Wagner- The 2014 Dutchmen hurler earned his first win of the season for Wagner with a solid outing on Sunday. Goeke allowed just three hits over five scoreless innings, striking out seven hitters. He earned the win in a 4-1 triumph for the Seahawks. Goeke has been the top starter thus far for Wagner, recording a 2.08 ERA over 13 innings on the mound. He has allowed just five hits over those 13 frames, and has struck out 11 hitters. Opposing batters are hitting just .122 against him this season.
Nick Morton, Washington and Jefferson- In his first three games with the Presidents, the 2013 and 2014 Albany fan favorite led Washington and Jefferson to two wins with four hits in six at-bats. His best game came Sunday against Oswego State, when Morton went 3-for-3 with two runs batted in and a run scored. His RBIs were supplied by RBI singles in the third and fourth innings of the 8-6 victory. His .667 batting average is currently best on the team among hitters with at least three at-bats.
Anthony Marks, Coastal Carolina- Marks, who played for the Dutchmen in 2013, led the Chanticleers to a perfect 4-0 week with eight hits in 17 at-bats, including a pair of doubles and nine runs scored. The Coastal Carolina leadoff hitter scored a run in each of the four victories. One of his doubles came in a 13-2 drubbing of top-15 North Carolina. He also added a 3-for-4 game in an 8-6 victory over Toledo, and scored four runs in a 10-7 victory over Bryant.
Thomas Belcher, Indiana- The Indiana pitcher, who wore the Dutchmen colors in 2013, had two more outstanding outings this past week. His week began with two scoreless innings fired in a victory for the Hoosiers over Eastern Michigan, and continued with four nearly perfect innings in a win over Cal State Fullerton. Belcher allowed just one hit and a hit by pitch as Indiana rallied for a win. Fellow former Dutchmen Austin Foote also worked scoreless frames this week for Indiana. Belcher has allowed just one earned run over 19.1 innings for the Hoosiers, good for a 0.47 ERA.
Morgan Phillips, College of Charleston- A 2-2 week for the Cougars was powered by the 2012 Albany outfielder, who drove in seven runs on eight hits in 17 at-bats. He clubbed two home runs on the week, including a three-run home run that gave Charleston the lead for good against High Point. He added two RBIs and three hits in a 14-7 victory over in-state rival USC Upstate. Through 16 games, Phillips leads the Cougars with a .393 batting average and 24 hits.
Michael Jurgella, St. Cloud State- Jurgella had a monster week for the Huskies, who have started their season on a 15-game winning streak. Jurgella’s surge came during St. Cloud State’s time at the Tucson Invitational. Over the week in Tucson, Jurgella went 18-for-21 with ten runs scored and five runs batted in. He clubbed four doubles, and ended the weekend with a solo home run in the fourth inning. The 15-0 start has been powered by the 2012 Albany Dutchmen player, who leads the Huskies with a .500 batting average, 29 hits, two homers, and a .741 slugging percentage.
