Dec. 11, 2011

Lineup Card

Lineup Card is a feature highlighting notes from around college baseball.

Dec. 1-11, 2011

Georgia Tech sophomore Colby Wren was recently featured on CNN’s The Human Factor, speaking about a genetic mitochondrial disease. He was diagnosed with the disease at the age of 16 and serves as an ambassador for the Foundation of Mitochondrial Medicine (FMM). click here for CNN story

Former Cincinnati Bearcat outfielder and current Chicago Cub Tony Campana won the 22nd annual Tony Conigliaro Award, presented to a Major League player who has overcome adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination and courage that were trademarks of Conigliaro. Campana defeated Hodgkin’s lymphoma as a child. A native of Springboro, Ohio, Campana batted .259 in 95 games during his rookie season with six RBI and 24 stolen bases.

Former Western Carolina volunteer assistant Bruce Johnson has been hired as a fulltime assistant for the Catamounts. Johnson graduated from WCU in 2009. He was an undergraduate assistant for two years before serving as a volunteer assistant for two years. Johnson was the head coach of the Wilson Tobs this past summer in the Coastal Plain League.

Manhattan will have five juniors as captains in 2012: shortstop Nick Camastro, third baseman Kyle Murphy, catcher Ramon Ortega, pitcher John Soldinger and first baseman Matt Troisi.

Former American League umpire Rich Garcia will be the guest speaker at the 10th annual UNCW Spring Training Baseball Banquet on Jan. 28. Garcia worked for 25 years in the AL starting in 1975. He umpired in two All-Star Games and four World Series. Former Seahawk Blake Cross (2001-04) will be the alumni speaker. He posted 159 strikeouts in 145.1 innings over four seasons with a 2.23 ERA in 95 appearances.

Former Dirtbag and current Washington Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa will be the keynote speaker for Long Beach State’s 2012 Leadoff Dinner on Jan. 26 at The Grand in Long Beach. Espinosa hit 21 home runs in 158 games for the Nats this past season with 29 doubles and 17 steals. He finished sixth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting. Espinosa was a two-time All-Big West shortstop for LBSU, batting .303 in three seasons with the Dirtbags.

Former Lobo and legendary baseball coach Mark Johnson will speak on “Character and Faith” at the University of New Mexico on Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. at the Tow Diehm Facility. Johnson was head coach at Texas A&M from 1984-2005 and at Sam Houston State for the past five years before retiring. Johnson is a member of the ABCA and Texas Baseball Halls of Fame.

Kansas State announced its 2011 Post-Fall Awards:

Mike Clark Award: Matt Giller

Hustle Award: Dusty Maas

Most Improved Position Player: Austin Fisher

Most Improved Pitcher: Robert Youngdahl

Gold Glove Award: Jake Brown

MVP of the Fall World Series: Blair DeBord

Wildcat Ironman Award: Blair DeBord and Kayvon Bahramzadeh

The College of Charleston baseball program will have its fourth annual “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” golf tournament on Feb. 10 at Patriots Point Links on Charleston Harbor. Registration starts at 11 a.m. with a shotgun start at noon.

Auburn signees Addison Russell and David Dahl helped the USA Baseball 18U National Team to the 2011 COPABE 18U/AAA Pan American Championship in Cartagena, Columbia.

Manhattan will receive its 2011 MAAC Championship rings on Dec. 7 at halftime of the men’s basketball game against Fordham.