SMC Diamond: Notes, News, and Alumni Updates- August 2011
Diamond Notes
Pioneer Update-August 2011
Alumni Update: Orlando Hudson continues to be a mainstay in the Major Leagues as he is playing in his 10th season for the San Diego Padres. The gold-glove second baseman is hitting at a .261 clip with 12 2B, 3 3B, 4 HR, 37 RBI and has swiped 17 of 20 bags on the year...Heath Hembree (2009) just picked up his Minor League leading 37th save of the season on Thursday night. It was his 16th save for Double-A Richmond. Hembree is sporting an impressive .191 BAA with 74 strikeouts in 50 appearances...Travis Witherspoon (2008-09) has earned a promotion to High-A Inland Empire in the California League. The speedy outfielder is hitting .250 with 13 HR, 47 RBI, and 44 SB on the year…David Walters (2006-07) is 1-5 with 30 SV, 3.54 ERA, and 35 strikeouts for the Delmarva Shorebirds in the South Atlantic League. His 30 saves rank him 7th in the Minor Leagues…Allen Caldwell (2007-08) is 5-0 with a 2.32 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 42.2 IP. The southpaw just earned his first start of the year for the Wilmington Blue Rocks of the Carolina League…Taylor Black (2009) is hitting .200 with 5 2B, 1 HR, and 13 RBI through 49 games for the Williamsport Crosscutters in his first professional season.
Fresh Faces: SMC welcomed Coach Wallace's incoming crop of newcomers this week which included twenty-three players, nineteen high schoolers and four transfers. Coming from the college ranks are Robert Landers (Furman Univ.), David Donald (Tallahassee CC), Wil Leathers (Univ. of SC), and Bobby Jackson (USC-Upstate). The freshman class consists of Will Price (Greenbrier HS, GA, 44th RD Pick), Ryan McPhail (Dutch Fork HS, 47th RD Pick), Domineke Albert (Richland Northeast HS), Jeremy Buckner (Sumter HS), Bruce Caldwell (Sumter HS), Austin Gambrell (Belton-Honea Path HS), Tanner Hawley (South Aiken HS), Josh Kisamore (Sumter HS), Ben Kyle (Spartanburg HS), Brandon Landry (Spartanburg HS), Jimmy Lindberg (Bishop England HS), Wes McGuire (Goochland HS, VA), Cody Mincey (Hartsville HS), Alex Pridemore (Union County HS), Jonathan Pulley (Boiling Springs HS), Rickey Rice (Union County HS), Matthew Teal (Byrnes HS), Kendal Thorpe (Holly Springs HS, NC), Daniel Young (Blythewood HS).
Family Ties: Brothers seem to follow in the footsteps of older brothers here at SMC. Freshman INF Bruce Caldwell is the younger brother of former two-way standout and all-time RBI leader Allen Caldwell. Freshman RHP Cody Mincey is the younger brother of all-time career saves leader Patrick Mincey. Also transfer David Donald IV is following in the footsteps of his father David Donald III who played at SMC for Lon Joyce.
Recent Commitments: Next year's class is already taking shape as Austin Hill (Spring Valley HS) and Patrick Mace (Ashley Ridge HS) have committed to be Pioneers. Hill is a two-way infielder and RHP and Mace is a RHP.
