From the Dugout: Catching Up With Josh Hogan
Monday, June 29, 2009
In this week's Summer Baseball Roundup, Oregon second baseman and Eugene native Josh Hogan took the time to fill Duck fans in on the success of the Corvallis Knights, playing in the West Coast League this summer:
This is my third-straight year playing for the Corvallis
Knights. Last season, we won the West Coast League championship and
ended the year ranked fourth in the nation by Baseball America. I've
had a great time every year, and it looks like this summer will be no
different. We are on a 13-game winning streak and our record is
21-3.
There is a twist this year, because I am an Oregon Duck
playing at Oregon State’s field in front of mostly OSU fans. My
first game back, a Beaver fan was heckling me about my Duck cleats and
batting gloves. I personally like it, and maybe it will stir up the
rivalry a little bit.
I really like everybody on the team - even the six Beavers
that are on the club. I'll be joined by fellow Duck Tyler Anderson
today, so that should be fun. I haven’t been swinging the bat
as well I would like, but I'm being patient with it because I am trying to fix
some things with my swing.
I'm having a lot of
fun this summer winning and hanging out with the guys. We have quite a
few returners from last year that make up the core of our team. I think
the reason we are successful year after year is because our coach always makes
sure he gets good players with good attitudes that play the game the right
way. We are about to go on a two-week road trip from Canada to Washington
and down to California. I'm excited to see how long our win streak can
go, and hopefully we can win another championship this summer.
SUMMER ROUNDUP WEEK 3:
Oregon outfielder and Eugene native Antony Kreitz is
currently making headlines in the Hawaii Collegiate Baseball League. The HCBL’s
reigning Player of the Week, Kreitz earned the honor after going on a
seven-game hitting streak for the Kauai Menehunes (6-9), batting .563 with six
runs, four RBIs, two doubles, one triple and two stolen bases. On the season,
Kreitz leads the HCBL batting .465 (20-for-43) with 10 RBIs, four doubles,
eight walks and 11 runs scored...His Oregon teammate, Kenny Bartz, is also doing
well with Kauai, hitting .341 (14-for-41) with nine RBIs, seven runs scored,
four extra-base hits and a 5-for-6 mark in stolen bases. The Menehunes went on
a four-game winning streak last week, and Bartz went 8-for-14 with three RBIs
in three starts...Remaining in the HCBL, Sean Potkay is on a three-game hitting
streak with the Waimea Waves (10-4). The Waves have won four of their last five
as Potkay is batting .214 with eight RBIs, four runs scored and three
extra-base hits. Taylor Ausbun has made six starts for the Waves, and both
Ducks contributed in Waimea’s 12-6 win over the Oahu Paddlers last Wednesday.
Potkay was responsible for a three-run triple, while Ausbun scored two runs
after being walked twice...Moving to the Northwoods League, Madison Boer has made
three appearances and two starts for the La Crosse Loggers (18-12), who
currently sit third in the South Division standings. Boer has pitched a total
of 13 and 1/3 innings with a 6.08 ERA and six strikeouts. On Saturday, June 20,
Boer tossed seven innings allowing just three runs (two earned) in a 6-5 win
over the Wisconsin Woodchucks...Right-hander Chris Garrison and shortstop KC
Serna are making an impact for the North Division’s first-place Mankato
Moondogs of the NL. On Sunday, Garrison made his fourth relief appearance of
the year, tossing the final inning and earning the win in a 7-6 victory over the
Alexandria Beetles. Garrison is maintaining a 3.38 ERA in five and 1/3 innings
pitched while holding opponents to a .118 batting average. Serna is batting
.348 for Mankato with eight runs scored, three RBIs and five stolen bases. The
Ducks starting shortstop scored a run and also had a stolen base in Sunday’s
win...Over in Rochester, Scott McGough earned his first win for the Honkers on
Sunday, pitching two scoreless innings of relief in a 6-4 win over the Thunder
Bay Border Cats of the NL. Also in that game, catcher Mitch Karraker was
2-for-4, improving his average to .300 on the season. McGough is maintaining a
2.03 ERA in 13 and 1/3 innings pitched with 10 strikeouts. Danny Pulfer,
playing shortstop for the Honkers, is hitting .156 with three RBIs. Riley Bevill
has also made three appearances and tossed a total of 8 and 2/3 innings...John
Adamson is currently on a three-game hitting streak for the Yorkton Cardinals
(12-9) of the Western Major Baseball League. Adamson is batting .214 with seven
runs, seven RBIs and four stolen bases. He heated up over the weekend, batting
3-for-5 with two RBIs in an 8-4 victory over the Medicine Hat Mavs on Sunday,
while also putting a 3-for-5 day with two runs and two RBIs in a 6-1 win over
the Swift Current Indians on Saturday...while Josh Hogan’s Corvallis Knights are
leading the West Coast League, the Spokane RiverHawks are in the middle of the
pack at 8-8. Dylan Gavin is hitting .150 with three runs, one double, two RBIs
and two stolen bases...In Alaska, right-hander Alex Keudell has an 0-1 record in
two starts for the Glacier Pilots (9-8). He has pitched a total of six innings,
and has allowed five runs ? all unearned...In the New England Collegiate Baseball
League, Geoff Nichols has not allowed a run in three appearances and 2 and 2/3
innings pitched for the Newport Gulls (9-5). He is holding opposing batters to
a .100 average. Last Wednesday, Nichols tossed the final inning of a 6-1 win
over the Holyoke Blue Sox, striking out two and holding Holyoke scoreless.
