Oct. 14, 2012

Lineup Card

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

Oct. 8-14, 2012

Former SIUE standout John “Champ” Summers (right) passed away on Oct. 11 from kidney cancer. Summers played basketball and baseball for the Cougars, hitting .340 during the 1971 season and scored 772 points in 41 games (18.8 ppg) on the hardwood. Summers was inducted into the SIUE Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006. He signed with the Oakland Athletics as a free agent in 1971 and spent 11 seasons in the Major Leagues with the Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants and the San Diego Padres. Summers was hitting coach for the New York Yankees under Bucky Dent from 1989-90. He was the first field manager for the Gateway Grizzlies of the Frontier League.

The ACC will expand its baseball championship to 10 teams beginning with the 2014 season. The six-day event will feature a double-elimination format from Tuesday through Friday. Saturday’s semifinals will be a pair of single-elimination games, with the Championship Game on Sunday. click here to view bracket

Former Tennessee hurler R.A. Dickey of the New York Mets recorded 20 victories this season, adding to the list of former SEC pitchers to have reached 20 wins.

R.A. Dickey, Tennessee (20 in 2012)

Cliff Lee, Arkansas (22 in 2008)

Tim Hudson, Auburn (20 in 2000)

Frank Lary, Alabama (21 in 1956)

Spud Chandler, Georgia (20 in 1943 & 1946)

Rip Sewell, Vanderbilt (21 in 1943 & 1944)

Tommy Bridges, Tennessee (22 in 1934, 21 in 1935, 23 in 1936)

Ben Cantwell, Tennessee (20 in 1933)

Doc McJames, South Carolina (27 in 1898)

Larry Williams has been added to Bob Mumma’s staff at UMBC. He will work with the infield defense as well as help with hitting, bunting and base running. Williams played in the Pittsburgh Pirates system from 1970-75 before becoming a coach and scout. He coached at the University of Pittsburgh before serving as a scout for the Pirates from 1980-87. Williams took a position as an associate scout with the Chicago Cubs in 2007. He retired a couple years ago and wanted to return to coaching.

Tennessee will hold a free youth clinic on Saturday, Oct. 27, from 9-10 a.m. at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. Players from age six through the eighth grade are invited to attend. The Volunteers will hold a practice following the clinic and will scrimmage at noon.

Texas A&M head coach Rob Childress (left) will be inducted into the Northwood University Athletics Hall of Fame on Nov. 10. Childress was a two-time all-conference pitcher and helped the Knights capture a pair of NAIA conference titles. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Northwood in 1990. Childress was an assistant for two years at Northwood. He has posted a record of 289-153-2 in seven seasons with the Aggies with six straight NCAA Tournament appearances and a trip to the College World Series in 2011.

The Fall Baseball Bash for Southeastern Louisiana has been moved to the Pennington Student Activity Center to accommodate a larger crowd. The event includes dinner, silent auction and chance to talk baseball with the coaching staff and former Lion players. The event starts at 7 p.m.

Arkansas begins its Cardinal-White series this week: Thursday and Friday at 3 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m. All games are free and open to the public.

Steven Brown and Dan Scott have joined the staff at Eastern Kentucky. Brown will serve as pitching coach after holding the same position at Jackson State Community College this past year. Brown started his collegiate career at Orange Coast College and pitched for two seasons at Trevecca Nazarene. Scott will be the volunteer assistant for the Colonels after being an assistant this past season at Belmont Abbey College. He graduated from Florida State in 2009.

Phil Disher and Jake Wald have been hired at Georgetown. Disher will be an assistant coach with the Hoyas after working the past two years at Wofford, where he worked with the hitters and catchers. He played four years at South Carolina, earning a degree in exercise science with a minor in coaching in 2007. Wald will serve as the volunteer assistant after holding the same position at George Washington a season ago. He graduated from GW in 2002 with a degree in psychology. Wald was taken in the 11th round of the 2002 MLB Draft by the San Francisco Giants and played seven years in their organization. He concluded his professional career in 2010 in the Arizona Diamondbacks system.

Casey Gaynor has been hired as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Rutgers. The former hurler will primarily work with the pitchers. Gaynor completed his four-year collegiate career in 2010 and is first in career numbers with 52 starts and 317 innings. He played professionally for two years.

Pledges have exceeded $1 million for the Continuing the Legacy project for renovations at Southern Illinois’ Abe Martin Field. The project will include renovations to the seating bowl, press box and dugouts as well as the addition of lights, a synthetic playing surface with a new drainage system and a security fence around the facility. Construction will begin following the 2013 campaign and should be completed prior to the start of the 2014 season.

Georgetown had more than 40 former players return this past weekend for Homecoming Weekend, organized by former All-Big East first baseman Ryan Craft, who graduated in 2006.

Mississippi State will hold its Alumni Weekend this weekend, starting with golf at 1:30 p.m. on Friday. Batting practice and a home run derby will start at noon on Saturday, followed by an alumni game and fall practice scrimmage.

Southern Miss will begin its best-of-five Breast Cancer Awareness World Series on Oct. 16 at 3:15 p.m. at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field. All games are free, but donations will be accepted on behalf of the Pink Ribbon Fund.

Louisville will begin its seventh annual Pizza Bowl Series on Oct. 10 at 3 p.m. at Jim Patterson Stadium. The Cardinals will play on Friday at 3 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m. The games are free and open to the public.

Alabama will have three scrimmages this week at Sewell-Thomas Stadium: Thursday and Friday at 3 p.m., with a 10:30 a.m. start on Saturday. Admission is free.

Kentucky will hold three scrimmages this weekend at Cliff Hagan Stadium: Friday at 2 p.m., Saturday at 12:15 p.m. and Sunday at 12:30 p.m.

Texas Tech will start its annual Red & Black Series on Oct. 22 at 6:30 p.m. at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park. It will continue on Oct. 29 at 6:30 p.m. and conclude on Oct. 30 at 3 p.m. All games are free and open to the public.

South Carolina will have three scrimmages this weekend at Carolina Stadium: Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at noon and Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

(photos courtesy of SIUE & TAMU Media Relations Offices)