Diamond Notes

Brian McKenna (Post University, North Jersey Eagles, 2013-14) transitioned from a catcher to pitcher over the last four years while playing Independent League baseball. He put up big numbers with the Florence Freedom of the Frontier League and was signed as a free agent by the Miami Marlins in July. He then made six appearances for Jupiter, the Marlins’ High A team in the Florida State League where he posted two holds and finished three games with a 0.96 ERA. In 9.1 innings he struck out 12 with only one walk and a 0.75 WHIP.

Two former ACBL pitchers had good starts to their pro careers after pitching a lot of innings this spring in college.

Nick Snyder (West Virginia, Trenton Generals, 2017-18), an 11th round draft pick of the Arizona D-backs, did not allow an earned run in 16 innings for the Hillsboro Hops of the short season Northwest League. The 6-6 LHP struck out 27 with a 0.69 WHIP.

Chris Kachmar (Lipscomb, Quakertown Blazers, 2016-17), a 28th round selection of the Chicago Cubs, posted a 4-0 record for the Eugene Emeralds in the Northwest League with a 1.56 ERA in seventeen innings with 24 strikeouts and a 1.27 WHIP.

The Allentown Railers won their fourth ACBL title in the past five years as they defeated the North Jersey Eagles 9-3 on Tuesday evening at Overpeck Park.

A solo home run by John Mead (Franklin Pierce) gave the Eagles a 1-0 lead in the third inning. The Railers put together four runs in the fifth inning to take a 4-1 edge which they added to through nine innings.

Eddie Olsen (Moravian) allowed one run over 4.1 innings and reliever Francis Driscoll (Colby) pitched 3.2 scoreless innings for the win.

Ian Csencsits (Moravian) added three hits for the Railers while Thylar Summarell (Stephen F. Austin) hit a long two run home run to deep right in the eighth inning to give the Railers runs number eight and nine.

Andy Axelson (Rutgers) had three hits for the Eagles.