Texas baseball had 13 players competing around the country this summer in wooden bat leagues, which wrapped up this week. The Longhorns competed in four different leagues as well as the USA Collegiate National Team.
The Longhorns, who are beginning to report to campus in advance of the fall season getting underway, saw success in a number of venues. C.J. Hinojosa hit .375 as Team USA finished its summer tour 20-3, Mark Payton helped the Cotuit Kettleers capture the Cape Cod League Championship, and junior-college transfer Lukas Schiraldi went 5-1 with a 1.01 ERA in the Cape.
Listed below are highlights of some of the Longhorns during summer league action.
Team USA
C.J. Hinojosa – INF – So.
Hinojosa helped the United States Collegiate National Team go 20-3 in its summer tour. The sophomore hit .375 in 10 games (six starts), with five doubles, six RBIs and five runs. Hinojosa is the 20th player in Texas history to earn a spot on Team USA, and this summer marked the third time he represented USA Baseball. He also participated on the 14U and 16U National Teams.
Cape Cod League
Mark Payton – OF – Sr. – Cotuit Kettleers
Payton helped Cotuit capture the Cape Cod League championship, hitting .300 in the postseason as the Kettleers swept the Orleans Firebirds in the championship series. In Cotuit's championship clinching 6-1 win over Orleans on Aug. 15, Payton scored two runs. In the regular season and playoffs combined, the senior hit .262.
Dillon Peters – LHP – Jr. – Harwich Mariners
Peters pitched in five games, stating four of those, and allowed just three runs on 10 hits in 22.0 innings of work. A junior, Peters' 1.22 ERA was tops on the team among those who logged at least 15 innings of work. The lefty struck out 21 while walking just three and had a 2-1 record.
Lukas Schiraldi – RHP – Jr. – Chatham Anglers
Schiraldi made seven starts in the regular season and went 4-1 with a 1.19 ERA, allowing just five earned runs in 37 2/3 innings of work. A transfer from Navarro JC who will have two years of eligibility with UT, Schiraldi put forth his best performance in the CCBL playoffs, when he went seven scoreless innings and allowed just two hits in a 6-0 win. He was named the Cape Cod League Pitcher of the Week on Aug. 13 for his effort. In the regular season and playoffs combined, the right-hander went 5-1 with a 1.01 ERA and 33 strikeouts.
California Collegiate League
Jacob Felts – C – Sr. – Santa Barbara Foresters
Felts played in 13 games and hit .341 with a 0.998 OPS. Of his 15 hits, Felts had five doubles, one triple and two home runs while driving in 11 runs.
Ben Johnson – OF – So. – Santa Barbara Foresters
Johnson played in 46 games and hit .281 on the season with six doubles, two triples, two home runs and 25 RBI. The rising sophomore also drew 29 walks and had a team-high .428 on-base percentage, helping him lead the team with 30 runs. Johnson also led the team with 18 stolen bases.
Cal Ripken League
Collin Shaw – OF – Jr. – Gaithersburg Giants
Shaw hit .299 to help lead the Giants to a 26-19 record and was a member of the North team in the North-South All-Star game. In 154 at bats, he recorded 46 hits, five doubles, two triples and two home runs, and also drove in 18 runs, scored a team-high 24 runs, drew a team-high 23 walks and stole 19 bases, a mark which ranked second on the team.
Northwoods League
Taylor Stell – IF/OF – Jr. – Wisconsin Rapids
Stell played in 48 games and hit .299 with 52 hits in 174 at-bats. The junior ranked second on the team in runs (47) and doubles (13), while stealing a team-high 25 bases. Stell finished with a team-high .432 on-base percentage after drawing 26 walks and 17 HBPs in addition to his 52 hits.
Jeremy Montalbano – C – So. – Wisconsin Rapids
Montalbano played in 44 games and hit .235 with six home runs, five doubles and a triple. The sophomore also recorded 11 multi-hit games