Monday, April 27, 2009

Wright, E. Roof on tears ...

I'll be visiting Lexington this weekend, checking out Murray's entry into the All A Classic state baseball tournament and getting a chance to watch Heath products Chad Wright and Clint Tilford in action for the University of Kentucky as it hosts Tennessee in a three-game series.

No Kentucky hitter is as hot as Wright, a true freshman who was patrolling center field for the Pirates at this time last year. Wright has exploded since being moved to the leadoff spot two weeks ago, hitting .436 with a on-base percentage of .500 and scoring 15 runs in nine games. He's now hitting .356 on the season and has played errorless ball at the three outfield positions.

Tilford has been struggling in the bullpen as of late. He took the loss on Friday night against Alabama, giving up seven runs in one inning, and he was beaten on a ninth-inning homer against Georgia earlier this month. Tilford is now 1-4 with a 6.64 ERA.

Michigan State catcher Eric Roof was 8-for-13 with two homers and 10 RBI, including a grand slam, as the Spartans swept Iowa over the weekend. Roof, who figures to be selected in Major League Baseball's amateur draft in June, is now hitting a team-best .325 with three homers and 30 RBI on the season, also leading the squad in RBI and extra-base hits.

Brother Jonathan Roof is hitting .262 as the Spartans' everyday shortstop and is 6-for-7 in stolen base attempts.

At Middle Tennessee, Reidland product Chad Edwards is 7-1 with a 5.64 ERA. Edwards won two games last week, starts against Mississippi State and Sun Belt Conference foe South Alabama, and was named the Sun Belt's pitcher of the week after shutting out Vanderbilt on April 14.

Former St. Mary ace Gabriel Shaw is faring well in Louisville's bullpen. Shaw is 3-0 with a 3.29 ERA with solid all-around numbers (38 2/3 innings, 31 hits, 11 walks and 34 strikeouts). He picked up a win after allowing one run in three innings of relief against Big East Conference rival Notre Dame on Friday. That came on one day's rest after throwing three shutout innings against Indiana in a non-conference game.

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