Baseball | 8/10/2017 11:08:00 AM
The Davenport University baseball team currently has 10 players competing in collegiate summer leagues around the nation. Here is an update on each player's summer to date.
Grant Wolfram is currently playing for the Wareham Gatemen of the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League in Wareham, Massachusetts. Wolfram is playing with several NCAA Division I student-athletes and is one of 17 pitchers on the squad. He has posted a 4.19 ERA in 19.1 innings of work for the Gatemen. He has appeared in 10 games with 18 strikeouts.
Brian Sobieski has had two stints for the Lakeshore Chinooks out of Grafton, Wisconsin of the Northwoods League and also spent time with the Muskegon Clippers of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League. Sobieski played with the Chinooks from May 30 until June 7 before moving on to the Clippers. He batted .278 in 26 games with 11 runs, eight doubles and two homers during that time. He came back to the Chinooks on August 3 and upon his return went 3-for-4 with two doubles, one home run and three RBI's in a win over Kenosha. Sobieski has five RBI in 11 games total with the Chinooks.
Andrew Click is playing for the Battle Creek Bombers of the Northwoods League. He has posted a record of 3-4 on the mound with a 4.85 ERA in 42.2 innings for the Bombers. He has nine starts and 10 appearances on the bump with 40 strikeouts and just 19 walks allowed.
Justin Palmbos began the summer playing for the Grand River Loggers of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League. He posted a 4-1 record with a 4.97 ERA in 47 innings for the Loggers. He started seven times and appeared in nine contests with 42 strikeouts and won his last three starts before moving on to the Kalamazoo Growlers of the Northwoods League. Palmbos has appeared in one game back on August 7 at Fond du Lac and tossed three innings while allowing two earned runs with three punchouts.
Austin Petravicius has been playing for the Kokomo Jackrabbits of the Prospect League which is a 10-team league based out of Elkville, Illinois. He batted .266 with 37 hits in 139 at-bats and scored 25 runs. He led the team with seven home runs and tied for the team lead with 30 RBI's. Petravicius also walked 12 times and stole five bases in seven attempts. He also was perfect in the field with no errors in 38 chances including three outfield assists.
Cam Bair has been a reliable catcher for the Muskegon Clippers of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League. Bair played in 38 games for the Clippers with a .266 batting average (33-of-124). He collected 10 doubles and five long balls and ended with 27 RBI's and 24 walks.
Nolan Bryant was one of six infielders for the Muskegon Clippers this summer. The Rockford native batted .285 with 43 hits in 151 at-bats. Bryant played in 40 games for the Clippers with 40 runs scored to go with 10 doubles and four homers accounting for 22 RBI's.
Jacob Buchberger joined the Muskegon Clippers on June 7 and has played in 30 games with a stellar .310 batting average. Buchberger has 27 hits in 87 at-bats with 14 runs scored, five doubles, three homers and 15 RBI's. He also has pitched 11.1 innings with a 1-0 record and 2.38 ERA with 14 strikeouts.
Anthony DiPonio played for the Michigan Rams of the Livonia Summer Collegiate League. The team capped a very successful summer by finishing third in the NABF National Tournament in Toledo, Ohio. The Rams were 4-1 at the tournament, falling in the semifinals and DiPonio was one of team leaders.
Krystien Johnson-Batillana took to the field for the Asheboro Copperheads of the Coastal Plains League this summer. He appeared in two games with a 4.50 ERA in six innings before an injury halted the rest of his summer.
Davenport is looking forward to the 2018 season as they will be joining the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference as a provisional member of NCAA Division II. The program went 43-17 last season and made a trip to the NAIA National Opening Round for the fourth straight season.
