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The 2006 season may have ended for the University of Maine baseball last weekend at the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional, but that doesn’t mean the Black Bears have put away their bats and gloves.
The majority of UMaine’s returning players are scheduled to play in some of the college summer leagues spread throughout the country. The competition includes a mix of players from all college divisions, including some of the top teams in the nation.
The Bears don’t have any entries in the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League, but they have placed numerous players in the New England Collegiate Baseball League and one in the Alaska Baseball League, both of which are highly regarded.
“They play in front of nice crowds. It’s more baseball and it gets them better, especially the younger kids,” said UMaine coach Steve Trimper.
Bears catcher Matt McGraw, who will be a senior in the fall, has the distinction of traveling the farthest to play this summer. He’ll compete for the Anchorage Glacier Pilots of the ABL.
“[Assistant] coach [Corey] Domel has a buddy up there coaching and Matt wanted a new experience, so good for him,” Trimper said.
The NECBL, which includes 12 teams ranging from Sanford to Danbury, Conn., will feature a dozen UMaine players. Junior infielder Curt Smith, sophomore outfielder Billy Cather and sophomore righthander A.J. Balsinde are playing for the Vermont Mountaineers in Montpelier.
Sophomore catcher Sean Parker and classmate Pat Moran of Winterport, a righty, are playing for the North Adams (Mass.) SteepleCats, while junior outfielder Mark Ostrander and soph lefty Mitch Clegg have signed on with the Pittsfield (Mass.) Dukes.
Soph righty Mike Powers of Portland is pitching for the Sanford Mainers and junior 1B-OF Bobby Brown will work on his swing with the Lowell (Mass.) All-Americans. Junior lefty Nolan Boike is expected to hook on with an NECBL team, as is incoming junior college transfer Brad Hertzler.
Hertzler, a lefthanded pitcher, turned down an offer from the Boston Red Sox and opted to attend UMaine, Trimper said.
Junior lefty Jason Weymouth of Charleston has hooked up with the Danbury (Conn.) Westerners.
Senior co-captain Joel Barrett of Brewer is one of the few Bears who aren’t playing competitively this summer.
In the NECBL, players live with host families who provide room and board and sometimes even help the young men find jobs in their communities.
“It’s a great experience,” said Trimper, who previously coached in the league and tries to place his players in the best situations possible. “I think it builds some great character for a kid and it’s not always about baseball.”
Sophomore third baseman Kevin McAvoy of Brewer, the America East Rookie of the Year, will return to the Brewer Falcons to finish up his American Legion eligibility and work out locally. Sophomores Jose Mendoza (LHP) and Danny Menendez (2B) are playing in a league near their homes in Miami.
Senior righty Greg Norton, whose recovery from offseason shoulder surgery took longer than expected, plans to throw 20-30 pitches per week in Portland’s Twilight League.
The summer college leagues mandate the use of wooden bats. That gives players the opportunity to hone their skills for possible professional careers and enables pro scouts who frequent the games to watch how the players swing the lumber and pitch against batters using it.
“By using wood bats, the ball doesn’t travel as far but, hitting-wise, the sweet spot is so much smaller, so they really have to learn how to keep the barrel to the ball,” Trimper said.
UMaine recruit drafted by Jays
UMaine baseball recruit Lee Verweel has been drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays.
The 6-foot-4, 195-pound lefthanded pitcher, who in November signed a National Letter of Intent to attend UMaine, was selected in the 45th round (the 1,347th pick overall).
Trimper said Verweel appears to be leaning toward either signing with Toronto or attending a junior college. While there isn’t likely to be a lot of money involved, Verweel would be eligible to sign with the Jays after either of his first two seasons at a junior college.
If he attends UMaine, the pitcher wouldn’t be eligible to be drafted until after his junior season and Toronto would no longer own his rights at that point.
Verweel was only Toronto’s 43rd pick this season and was the 19th pitcher it drafted.
Trimper also said former UMaine outfielder Joe Hough is exploring his options as a free agent after he was not taken in the 50-round major league draft.
“I’m very surprised at that,” said Trimper, who has maintained Hough, a 6-foot, 200-pounder from West Roxbury, Mass., has the skills necessary to get a look in the pro ranks.
UM-Machias hires Roak
Former University of Maine-Farmington women’s basketball standout Rebecca Roak has been named head women’s basketball and volleyball coach at UMaine-Machias.
Roak comes to Machias from Chowan (N.C.) College, where she served as the head volleyball coach and as an assistant basketball coaching during the 2004 and 2005 seasons.
A Portland native, Roak graduated from UMF in 2001 with a degree in elementary education. She became only the 10th player in school history to score 1,000 career points.
Roak received a masters degree in education with a concentration in physical education and sports management from Old Dominion University in 2001.
NCBWA honors Furbush
Saint Joseph’s sophomore lefthander Charlie Furbush was named New England Pitcher of the Year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
The South Portland native compiled a 10-1 record, striking out 115 and walking only 22 in 74.2 innings pitched. He also saved five games.
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