Cane Cutters News

07/21/2011 4:04 PM - "The Texas Collegiate League today announced the North and South rosters for the 2011 Cricket Wireless TCL All-Star Game. The game will be hosted by the Brazos Valley Bombers next Monday, July 18, in Bryan, Texas. The All-Star Game will utilize a familiar North-South format for the second straight season. Making up the North are the Alexandria Aces, Coppell Copperheads and East Texas Pump Jacks, this season’s first-half division champions. Joining the host Bombers on the South squad are the Acadiana Cane Cutters and the defending champion Victoria Generals. The rosters include each of the five TCL Players of the Week this season and the leaders in every major offensive statistical category. Headlining the South roster is the TCL’s leading hitter, first baseman Trey Porras from Brazos Valley, whose .411 batting average tops the circuit. Victoria’s Freddy Villalobos, tied for the league lead with nine doubles, will start at second base. Bombers third baseman Casey Dykes and shortstop Brett Thornell from the Cane Cutters will start on the left side of the infield for the South. Coppell first baseman Tyler Migl will start at first base in a North infield that is otherwise populated by Pump Jacks. East Texas second baseman Ty Marlow and third baseman Hunter Dozier will join shortstop Kirby Pellant, the league-leader with 25 runs scored, as North starters. John Cannon from Brazos Valley will start at catcher for the South, while the Pump Jacks’ Beau Maggi will be behind the dish for the North. Every one of the six teams had an outfielder voted into the starting lineup. Week One TCL Player of the Week Chad Kruse from Victoria and Acadiana’s Taylor Dugas, who won the same award in Week Four, will be joined by Jordan Hammerman from the host Bombers in the South outfield. Coppell’s Tyler Collins, the league leader in both hits (44) and home runs (seven), will lead the North outfield. He’ll be joined by Jami Rachal from the Aces and the Pump Jacks’ Seth Granger, who leads the TCL with four triples. Starting the game in the designated hitter role will be the Generals’ Trent Wagner and Jake Pinchback from East Texas. Reserves for the South include a quartet of Cane Cutters: catcher Grant Dozar, infielder Andrew Miller and outfielder Michael Barba compliment outfielder/pitcher Josh Burris, who leads the TCL with 20 steals and has four saves in six pitching appearances. Brazos Valley outfielder Herbert Romero rounds out the South position players. Aces infielder Trey Rickrode will be joined by three Copperheads as the North’s reserves. Catcher Joe Andrade, infielder Nick Smelser and outfielder Matt Shortall, the only returning all-star in the event this year, will make the trip from Coppell. Four of the eight South pitchers hail from Brazos Valley. Ace Jake Moser, starter Alec Mills, reliever Damian Rivera and closer Garrett Sheppard, who leads the league with eight saves, anchor the South staff. They’ll be joined by a pair of league leaders from Victoria – Ross Goebel (46.1 innings pitched) and Covey Morrow (18 appearances). Acadiana’s Chris Cotton and Matt Hicks, the first TCL Pitcher of the Week this season, round out the South staff. The North pitching staff will boast a distinctively East Texas flair, with five Pump Jacks hurlers named to the roster. Jaden Dillon, the TCL leader with five wins, and Matt Munson, who tops the circuit with a 1.23 ERA, will be joined by fellow Jacks starters James Guillen and Donnie Hart. Closer Jason Jester further bolsters the East Texas contingent. Three Coppell pitchers earned all-star nods as well: Doug Ashby, Carlton O’Neal and Rafael Pineda, who has yet to allow an earned run this season. The final spot on the North staff went to Derek Vaughn, who leads the league with 43 strikeouts in 34.1 innings for Alexandria. Brent Alumbaugh, the head coach of the Bombers, will manage the South squad. East Texas head coach Ben Taylor will coach the North for the second year in a row. Last year’s TCL All-Star Game in Victoria ended in a 7-7 tie after nine innings. Brazos Valley’s Wes Patterson earned game MVP honors by going 2-for-5 with a grand slam, a double and five RBI. Lee Orr from the Pump Jacks outdueled Patterson to win the pre-game home run derby. Brazos Valley Bank Ballpark will serve as the setting for the 2011 Cricket Wireless TCL All-Star Game. The contest is scheduled to begin at 7:05 p.m. The Brazos Bingo Home Run Derby will precede the event." Courtesy of Texas Collegiate League http://texascollegiateleague.com/news/league/index.html?article_id=553