Obama Visits Bombers Park
Presidential Candidate Makes Stop in Battle Creek

(BATTLE CREEK, MI) Illinois Senator and Presidential hopeful Barack Obama made a visit to Battle Creek’s C.O. Brown Stadium on Sunday, August 31 as part of a three state campaign tour. Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee, along with his running mate, Delaware Senator Joe Biden, appeared in front of an enthusiastic crowd at venerable C.O. Brown Stadium, home to the Battle Creek Bombers.

Fans from all over Michigan and the entire Midwest arrived several hours early for a chance to hear both Obama and Biden discuss their views and outline their candidacy for the White House in 2009. The rally began when gates opened at 5 P.M. (EST) and concluded with the appearance of Obama and Biden on stage shortly after 8 P.M.

The rally was the first of its kind at C.O. Brown since current President George W. Bush visited Battle Creek in 2004.
Senator Obama’s visit garnered local and national exposure for both the ballpark and city of Battle Creek, as major news outlets including CNN, FOX, ABC, NBC and CBS were on site to cover the event.

NORTHWOODS LEAGUE ANNOUNCES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: September 4, 2008

Jennifer Holubar Joins Honkers Front Office

(ROCHESTER, MN) The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today that Rochester, MN native Jennifer Holubar has joined their front office. She will focus on public relations, marketing and sales.

Holubar, 22, joins the front office after spending an intense three month internship with the Honkers this past summer. She focused on merchandise and corporate relations.

“I am very grateful to be given the opportunity to become a part of the Honkers front office,” said Holubar. “I get the chance to build on my experiences from this summer as an intern, and have been given the opportunity of bringing innovative ideas and new opportunities to the organization.”

Holubar earned a Bachelor’s of Arts and Sciences degree in Mass Communications-Public Relations with a minor in Marketing from University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (May, 2008). She was a member of the American Marketing Association (AMA) and the Director of Public Relations for the AMA from 2007-2008.

“We are extremely excited to have Jennifer join us full time as part of our front office team,” said Honkers Owner Kim Archer. “Jenny brings a strong work ethic, creativity and enthusiasm that works well in our environment. We are lucky to have her.”

Holubar spent her first two years of college at Rochester Community and Technical College (RCTC) where she was on the Dean’s List for both years and also was the Varsity Dance Team Captain for the RCTC Yellow Jackets. Holubar graduated from John Marshall High School in 2004.

Former River Bat McGehee Makes MLB Debut
Cubs Infielder is 50th NWL Alum to Wear Big League Uniform

(ROCHESTER, MN) Former St. Cloud River Bats third baseman Casey McGehee made his Major League debut Tuesday night for the Chicago Cubs in a pinch-hitting appearance against Houston. The 25-year old was added to the Cubs roster as a September call up on Monday to become the 50th Northwoods League alumnus to be called up to the Major Leagues.

McGehee had just the one at bat in his debut, a strike out against Astros lefty Wesley Wright with one out in the 9th inning. Houston eventually beat Chicago 9-7 in 11 innings at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The Cubs maintain a 4 ½ game lead over second place Milwaukee in the National League Central Division.

McGehee played for the River Bats during the summer of 2001. He batted .237 with 12 doubles, two home runs, and 27 RBI in 60 games that season. Most of his time was spent in the outfield but he also played third base and first base for St. Cloud. McGehee, originally from Santa Cruz, California, played his college ball at Fresno State University. The Cubs drafted him in the 10th round of the 2003 MLB First-Year Player Draft. He was hitting .296 with 30 doubles, 12 home runs and 92 RBI in 133 games with Triple-A Iowa prior to being called up. With the Iowa Cubs he usually played third base but also saw time at catcher and first base.

McGehee becomes the seventh St. Cloud River Bats player to play in the Major Leagues and second to debut this season. Sean Kazmar, a 2003 River Bat, debuted for San Diego in August. McGehee is one of six NWL alumni to join the Major League ranks in 2008.

The Northwoods League plays more games than, draws more fans than, and plays in venues superior to any Summer Collegiate Baseball League in North America. The Northwoods League completed its 15th season of play in August.

Former NWL Ump Colon Spending Time in Big Leagues

(ROCHESTER, MN) On Monday, July 28, the Northwoods League had it's first umpire alumnus work a regular season Major League game.

Delfin Colon, a member of the NWL's 2000 umpire corps, worked second base in Houston's 5-4 win over Cincinnati. Appropriately, the game was played in Houston, which has been home to Colon since 1991. He was filling in for Major League umpire, Marty Foster, and worked along side Angel Hernandez, Eric Cooper and Derryl Cousins.

Colon has been on MLB's Minor League call-up list for 2 seasons and has worked a number of Major League Spring Training games, but had not been called up to date. The call-up list is comprised of the top 22 Triple A umpires, who fill in for Major League umpires when they go on vacation or in the event of an injury.

Colon is still up in the Big Leagues, working home plate as recent as Sunday's A's-Mariners game in Seattle along side MLB umpires Dale Scott, Bill Hohn and Dan Iassogna.

Below, Colon is pictured to the right with two of his minor league umpiring partners including former NWL umpire from 2001 Chris Bakke, who is on the left.

Former River Bat Kazmar Makes MLB Debut
Double-A Shortstop Gets Call to Padres

(ROCHESTER, MN) Former St. Cloud River Bats shortstop Sean Kazmar made his Major League debut Wednesday night for the San Diego Padres starting at shortstop against Milwaukee. The 24-year old was called up Tuesday being promoted from Double-A San Antonio.

Kazmar batted twice in his Major League Debut, singling against Brewers starter CC Sabathia in his first at bat. He lined out to second base his second time up. Kazmar was taken out of the game in fifth inning as part of a double switch defensively.

Kazmar played for the River Bats briefly during the summer of 2003. He batted .259 with three RBI in seven games that season. He joined the Bats fresh off winning a national championship with the Community College of Southern Nevada competing at the Division One Junior College level. Sean, originally from Valdosta, GA, was a fifth round selection by the Padres in the 2004 MLB draft. He was hitting .264 with three home runs and 39 RBI in 111 games with Double-A San Antonio prior to being called up. Kazmar becomes the sixth St. Cloud River Bats player to advance to the Major Leagues. He’s now a teammate of Nick Hundley with the Pardes. Hundley, a former Alexandria Beetles catcher, had been the most recent call up of NWL alumni with his promotion in July.

The Northwoods League plays more games than, draws more fans than, and plays in venues superior to any Summer Collegiate Baseball League in North America. A total of 49 Northwoods League alumni have advanced to the Major Leagues. The NWL’s 15th season concludes this weekend with the Championship Series between the Madison Mallards and the Thunder Bay Border Cats.

Northwoods League Names Postseason All-Star Team
Mankato Catcher Ramirez Earns League MVP

(ROCHESTER, MN) The Northwoods League announced its 2008 Postseason All-Star Team on Monday. In addition to the 25 players that were selected to the honorary team, Mankato catcher Carlos Ramirez was named as the Most Valuable Player as voted by the League’s coaches and members of the media. Alexandria, Mankato, Rochester, and St. Cloud, all from the North Division, led all teams with three players selected. Alexandria outfielder Josh UpChurch was named as a postseason all-star for his second consecutive season.

Mankato MoonDogs catcher Carlos Ramirez (Chandler-Gilbert CC) brought home the NWL’s top honor as League MVP. Ramirez dominated the offensive leader board in the first half of the season and is still a presence in most significant categories. Heading into the final day of the regular season he leads the League in home runs (10), slugging percentage (.560), and extra-base hits (29). He also places in batting average (.315), runs batted in (44), doubles (19), and on-base percentage (.433). Ramirez received 41 percent of the MVP votes edging St. Cloud River Bats second baseman Derek McCallum (Minnesota) who finished second in the balloting with 24 percent. Duluth Huskies first baseman Tim Jobe (Indian River CC) received seven percent of the votes to finish third.

Alexandria Beetles outfielder Josh UpChurch is the only two-time postseason all-star on this year’s list. He’s currently tied for second in the League in stolen bases with 26 and is hitting .281 for the third place Beetles.

Relief pitchers Dan Zehr (Northeastern) and Xavier Esquivel (Loyola Marymount) were the leading vote getters for the 12 hurlers named to the team. Both pitchers have a dominating ERA and were selected on 73 percent of the ballots. Zehr has pitched out of the bullpen for the Thunder Bay Border Cats for the entire season and still managed to qualify as the ERA champion. Zehr holds a Northwoods League-best 1.15 ERA in 23 games where he’s thrown 55 innings. He’s 4-0 with two saves and a 46 to 8 strikeout to walk ratio. Esquivel is the closer for the St. Cloud River Bats and has allowed just one earned run all season. In addition to his 0.33 ERA, Esquivel is 2-0 with 12 saves and a 32 to 11 strikeout to walk ratio in 27.2 innings.

Mankato’s Jason Nell (Iowa Lakes CC) is the 2008 Manager of the Year after leading the MoonDogs to their first playoff berth in team history. It’s his third season at the helm in Mankato. Wisconsin’s Brandon Steele (Tusculum) was selected as Coach of the Year with his Woodchucks earning a playoff spot in the South Division. It’s his second year on Jim Gantner’s staff in Wausau.

Below is a complete list of the 2008 NWL Postseason All-Stars and award winners listed alphabetically by team:

Player                       Position       Year          NWL Team                      College

Nick Gaudi                    RHP             JR            Alexandria                Pepperdine (CA)

Chris Odegaard            RHP            SO            Eau Claire     Minnesota State-Mankato

Matt Lange                   RHP             JR            Green Bay                  Portland (OR)

Cole Green                   RHP             FR             La Crosse                         Texas

Jimmy Reyes                 LHP             FR             Mankato                       Elon (NC)

Peter Burg                    LHP             JR             Rochester             St. Scholastica (MN)

Zach Robertson            LHP             SO            Rochester                Iowa Central CC

Xavier Esquivel             RHP            SO             St. Cloud           Loyola Marymount (CA)

Ryan Sheldon                RHP             JR              St. Cloud                Nebraska-Kearney

Jimmy Stanley              RHP             JR           Thunder Bay                 Belmont (TN)

Dan Zehr                       LHP             SO          Thunder Bay            Northeastern (MA)

Bobby Pritchett            RHP            SO            Wisconsin                Central Arkansas

Keith Castillo                  C               SO            Alexandria             Southern California

Carlos Ramirez               C               SO             Mankato        Chandler-Gilbert CC (AZ)

Tim Jobe                        1B              SO               Duluth                Indian River CC (FL)

Derek McCallum           2B              SO             St. Cloud                      Minnesota

Josh Prince                     SS              SO            Green Bay                    Tulane (LA)

Joe Bonfe                       3B              FR            Eau Claire                 Creighton (NE)

Jeff Cowan                   X-INF            JR             Wisconsin                 High Point (NC)

Josh UpChurch               OF              JR            Alexandria              Florida Gulf Coast

Cory Vaughn                  OF              FR             La Crosse                 San Diego State

Rob Lyerly                     OF              SO             Madison                       Charlotte

Michael Rockett            OF              JR              Mankato                Texas-San Antonio
Joey Register                 OF              JR             Waterloo                     Texas A&M

Eric Stephens                DH              JR             Rochester              Cal State-Fullerton

MVP

Carlos Ramirez          Mankato MoonDogs             Chandler-Gilbert CC (AZ)

Manager of the Year                       

Jason Nell                  Mankato MoonDogs                    Iowa Lakes CC

Coach of the Year
Brandon Steele         Wisconsin Woodchucks          Tusculum College (TN)

Logger Derek Melton Involved in Swimming Accident

(LA CROSSE, WI) La Crosse Loggers first baseman and Northwoods League All-Star Derek Melton was involved in a swimming accident on Sunday, August 3 at Pettibone Beach in La Crosse. After playing volleyball Melton ran down the sandy beach to the water to “cool off” and jumped into the water. Almost immediately he struck the sandy bottom which resulted in what is now being referred to as a neck or spine injury.

Here are the statements that were released by Teresa and Ernie Melton, parents of Derek Melton:
Derek was involved in a swimming accident at Pettibone Park in La Crosse late Sunday afternoon. We do not have additional details on Derek's accident. He is currently in stable condition. Our focus now is on helping Derek get better. We would like to thank his teammates, the Loggers organization and the La Crosse community for their thoughts and prayers. We ask that the media respect our privacy as we focus on the recovery of our son.

Statement from the La Crosse Loggers organization:
One of our players, Derek Melton, was injured on Sunday afternoon as the result of a swimming accident. The thoughts and prayers of the entire Loggers organization and the players are with the Melton family as Derek begins his recovery. Derek is a first baseman for the La Crosse Loggers. As a Northwoods League All-Star, Derek is one of the top players in the league. He is 21 years old and will be a senior at the University of Evansville in Indiana. His hometown is Trenton, Ohio.

Statement from Dan and Ruth Kapanke, La Crosse Logger owners:
Late Sunday afternoon, we were informed one of our players, Derek Melton, was injured as the result of a swimming accident. We have been with Derek and his family as they are working through this incident. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Meltons. The Logger family will continue to offer their support as Derek begins his recovery.

Three Northwoods League Alumni Spent Summer with Team USA

(ROCHESTER, MN) Former Northwoods League players Brett Hunter, Ryan Lipkin, and Blake Smith took home the gold yesterday in Brno, Czech Republic when Team USA's Collegiate National Team beat Japan 1-0 in 12 innings. It was the FISU World Championship title game, the final scheduled game for Team USA this summer.

Hunter played for the Alexandria Beetles in 2006. The right-handed pitcher is heading into his senior season at Pepperdine University unless he signs with the Oakland Athletics prior to the August 15th deadline. He was drafted by the A's in the 7th round of June's Major League Baseball draft. He was projected as a first rounder before an arm injury sidelined him for most of the spring. After contemplating his summer options for a couple weeks after the draft, Hunter joined the USA National Team for the second consecutive summer. He went 2-0 in four appearances (three starts) with a 1.47 ERA.

Lipkin was with the Brainerd Blue Thunder in 2007. The catcher transferred from Solano Community College to the University of San Francisco last summer and spent his sophomore season with the Dons. Sharing catching duties with the USA National Team Lipkin hit .256 with two home runs and seven RBI in 15 of the team's 24 games.

Smith was a two-way player for the Alexandria Beetles in 2007 and did the same for Team USA this summer. The right-handed pitcher/outfielder hails from the University of California at Berkeley. This summer he led Team USA in hitting with a .327 average. He was the only full-time player to hit above .300. He also added five doubles, three home runs and 13 RBI in 20 games. On the mound Smith was nearly perfect. He made five relief appearances and didn't allow a run in nine innings. He finished 1-0 with two saves while allowing only three hits.

Current Rochester Honkers outfielder Aaron Senne (Missouri) also tried out for Team USA but didn't make the cut, likely due to a leg injury he suffered late in trials. The Rochester, MN native has since joined the Honkers for his second season with the team.

Associated Press Takes Waterloo Bucks Story National

(ROCHESTER, MN) Several newspapers around the country picked up a recent Associated Press story to bring the story of the hardships that the Waterloo Bucks have sustained this year to a national audience. Dailies such as the Chicago Tribune, Orlando Sentinel, Baltimore Sun, and more ran the story this week.

Flood-weary Waterloo Bucks return to home stadium

By LUKE MEREDITH | AP Sports Writer
12:30 AM CDT, July 15, 2008

WATERLOO, Iowa - His name is “Slumpbuster,” and he’s a turtle.

Discovered in a dugout at Riverfront Stadium after flooding submerged the park like never before, Slumpbuster was rescued by Waterloo Bucks’ staffers and put in a tank in the press box.



Slumpbuster’s new digs aren’t nearly as palatial as the nearby river he used to call home, but he’s getting by.

So are the Bucks.

Waterloo, a summer league team made up of college players, returned to its home park Friday night after six weeks of forced exile. The Bucks hadn’t played at Riverfront Stadium since the Cedar River spilled over its banks in early June and flooded out the park, turning the first half of the season into one long road trip and leaving management scrambling to save the 62-year-old park.

The flood cost the team nearly $300,000 in lost revenue, team owner John Marso said. That’s about half what it takes in during a typical season, which runs from late May until the middle of August.

“It was sad to watch,” Marso said.

Riverfront Stadium has flooded before, but never like this. Water covered the entire diamond, reaching as high as 6 feet at the outfield wall and seeping well into the grandstand behind home plate. Save for the press box up high, little was spared.

The damage came just three days after the Bucks finished a new, open-air concourse that was inundated with floodwater. A 4,500 square-foot wooden party deck built prior to the season was lifted off its bearings and moved 30 yards by the river’s current.

Water also ruined the clubhouses, team offices and a new merchandise store.



“We were all ready-set go for this season with all these new additions, and we had so many neat things planned,” said assistant general manger Charlie Boeckenheuer, whose office was destroyed. “And then it just sunk.”

With nowhere to call home, the Bucks hit the road. Waterloo flip-flopped dates with their opponents, mostly playing their home games at the park of the “visitor.” The Bucks were flooded out of 16 home dates, and had to play six more at a local high school.

The road trip wasn’t as tough on the players as one might imagine, though. Most of them aren’t from Iowa, and since they stay with host families and head back to school in August, the Northwoods League is essentially one long road trip to begin with.

But it did disrupt the team’s rhythm.

Baseball players are creatures of habit, and the Buck’s nomadic voyage through the upper Midwest kept them from establishing a daily routine. The players would often have to kill time at local malls because their hotel checkout times were hours before game time. They were also deprived of the extra practice sessions teams get in on their home field, which is essential in a league built to develop players.

But manager Pete Lauritson said the team knew the inconveniences they faced paled in comparison to what others were going through.

Many homes in the Waterloo area were flooded, and downstream in Cedar Rapids and other cities, thousands of people were forced from their homes.

“If you drove around Waterloo, there was some pretty tragic stuff to see. People lost everything they owned,” Lauritson said. “We had to go on the road, but really we were traveling, staying in hotels and playing baseball. So we had everything in perspective.”

Once the floodwaters receded, volunteers pitched in to clean the park up. The club asked for help through an article in the local paper, and nearly 50 fans showed up. Fighting through an unbearable stench and nearly an inch of muck that covered everything the waters touched, staffers and volunteers cleared away the trash in just one day.

“Just goodhearted Bucks fans that wanted to see baseball out here, so they do what they could do to get it back in working order. It was a huge help,” Boeckenheuer said.

Before the Bucks could return home, they had to install a new electrical system costing about $100,000. There’s still more to be done, too. The team has to install new offices and clubhouses — tiny, cramped spaces beneath the grandstands now serve as locker rooms — and some of the concession stands are still closed.

Still, Friday night’s homecoming was a major step forward for the club. In front of 4,500 fans and one very lucky turtle, the road-weary Bucks reopened Riverfront Stadium with an 11-7 loss to Green Bay that dropped them to 17-23 overall.

The result wasn’t what the Bucks wanted, but the night featured an ironic twist not lost on the team. The forecast called for rain, and for once, the Bucks beat the elements.

“The biggest thing was having the team back playing on our field,” Boeckenheuer said. You could “kind of see a little light at the end of the tunnel, to be back here playing baseball again.”

NORTHWOODS LEAGUE ANNOUNCES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: July 14, 2008

South Stars Top North Stars 8-4

(MADISON, WI) The Northwoods League South Division All-Stars broke a three-year All-Star Game losing streak with an 8-4 victory of the North Division All-Stars in Madison, WI. Cory Vaughn (La Crosse, San Diego State) was named All-Star Game MVP with his 2-for-3 performance and one RBI and one run scored. A new All-Star Game record crowd of 5,357 fans came out to the “Duck Pond” for the midseason showcase. Every player on each All-Star team made an appearance in the game.

Vaughn, Josh Prince (Green Bay, Tulane) and Rob Lyerly (Madison, Charlotte) all had two hits for the victorious South Division squad. One of Prince’s hits was a two-run home run that he blasted over the left field fence on a 3-0 pitch off Phil Haig (Rochester, Illinois). The North Division was paced by Brian Hernandez’ (St. Cloud, College of the Canyons) 2-for-2 night and two RBIs from Josh Upchurch (Alexandria, Florida Gulf Coast). Chris Sale (La Crosse, Florida Gulf Coast) earned the win for the South Division, while Alex Kalogrides (Brainerd, San Francisco) took the loss.

South Division’s Matt Jansen (Madison, Purdue) took the mound to start things off in front of his home crowd. Jansen did not disappoint the Mallards faithful, striking out the side in the top of the first while throwing 20 pitches.

After Jansen’s masterful work through the North Division lineup the South Division took their first at bats and put two on the scoreboard, thanks to an RBI double by Vaughn and a run-scoring single by Lyerly that brought around Vaughn.

The familiar All-Star Game defensive changes began in the second inning. Kyle Gumieny (Wisconsin, Lamar CC) moved to the mound in place of Jansen and promptly gave up a leadoff home run to Eric Stephens (Rochester, Cal State Fullerton) to cut the South Division’s lead in half. Gumieny was able to get an out before giving up three straight base hits and a walk to give the North a 3-2 advantage after one-and-a-half.

The North Division also made a pitching change in the second inning, bringing in Nate Woods (Thunder Bay, Belmont). After Jeff Cowan (Wisconsin, High Point) reached on an error, Troy Frazier (Wisconsin, Kentucky) grounded into a tailor-made double play and Rocky Gale (Green Bay, Portland) grounded out to second to end the inning and keep the lead intact.

Neither team could push a run across in the third inning. In the bottom of the fourth the South Division scored two runs to retake the lead 4-3. Kalogrides moved to the mound to start the frame and gave up a leadoff single to Lyerly. He then hit Joey Register (Waterloo, Texas A&M) with a 1-0 pitch to put runners on first and second with nobody outs. Cowan then drew a walk, loading the bases still with nobody out. Frazier then tied the game with a single, scoring Lyerly. The catcher Gale stepped to the plate and grounded into a fielder’s choice force-out at third, scoring Register to get the lead back.

The fifth and sixth went by with little fanfare with another two-run frame for the South Division coming in the bottom of the sixth, making the score 6-3 in favor of the boys in green. The scoring in pairs continued for the South in the bottom of the seventh, as Nick O’Shea (Green Bay, Minnesota) doubled and later scored on a Register single. The junior came around on a P.J. Polk (La Crosse, Tennessee) two-bagger.

The North Division added their final tally of the night in the top of the eighth, when Derek McCallum (St. Cloud, Minnesota) hit a sacrifice fly to left that scored Mike O’Neill (Thunder Bay, Southern California) from third.

That was all the scoring for the night, and the South Division emerged on top 8-4.

(Below: Cory Vaughn connects on one of his two doubles. Bottom: Cory Vaughn accepts "Star of Stars" MVP Award from Northwoods League President, Dick Radatz, Jr.)

Home Run Derby Participants Announced

(MADISON, WI) The Madison Mallards and the Northwoods League have announced the participants for the 2008 Northwoods League Home Run Derby that will be held at 4:30 p.m. Sunday at the "Duck Pond" in Madison. The Home Run Derby will feature 14 participants, representing every team, in a two-round competition. During the first round each player will be allowed to make 8 outs, while the second and final round will be expanded to 10 outs each after the field is cut to three.

The full list of NWL Home Run Derby participants is listed below: (by team, alphabetically)

North Division
*Keith Castillo (Alexandria)
Michael Gedman (Brainerd)
*Tim Jobe (Duluth)
*Michael Rockett (Mankato)
*Eric Stephens (Rochester)
Kevin Johnson (St. Cloud)
*Derek Wiley (Thunder Bay)

South Division
*A.J. Shindler (Battle Creek)
*Kole Calhoun (Eau Claire)
*Nick O’Shea (Green Bay)
*Derek Melton (La Crosse)
Luke Stewart (Madison)
*Joey Register (Waterloo)
*Troy Frazier (Wisconsin)

*2008 All-Star selection

On Sunday, July 13, the Mallards will host an All-Star Fan Fest at 2:00 p.m. before giving way to the Home Run Derby at 4:30 p.m. The All-American Challenge will follow at 6:05 p.m., pitting local Home Talent League All-Stars versus a Military All-Star Team. The Mallards will then host the 2008 All-Star Game on Monday, July 14 at 7:05 p.m. broadcast live on ESPNU at the “Duck Pond.” Tickets remain for both dates and can be purchased online at Mallardsbaseball.com or by calling the box office at 608.246.4277.

NORTHWOODS LEAGUE ANNOUNCES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: July 11, 2008

Former MLB All-Star Greg Vaughn to Speak at NWL All-Star Luncheon

(MADISON, WI) Limited tickets remain for the 2008 Northwoods League All-Star luncheon to be held at 12 noon at the Monona Terrace on Monday, July 14. The event will begin with a video presentation introducing the North and South Division All-Stars followed by featured speakers Madison Mayor David Cieslewicz, NWL President Dick Radatz, and former Milwaukee Brewer and MLB All-Star Greg Vaughn. Seats are $25 and can be reserved by calling the Mallards ticket office at 608.246.4277 or by emailing Allstar@mallardsbaseball.com.

The Hilton Madison Monona Terrace is the official hotel of the 2008 All-Star Game and can be reached at 608.255.5100 to reserve a room. The address is 9 East Wilson Street, Madison, WI 53703.

Vaughn's son Cory Vaughn (San Diego State) was voted as an all-star on the South Division roster. He's an outfielder for the La Crosse Loggers and will be the designated hitter in the south's lineup. Greg is serving as a Special Assistant to La Crosse Loggers Manager Andy McKay this season. Greg has spent about half of the season with the team so far this year.

Duluth Outfielder House Added to North Roster

(ROCHESTER, MN) The Northwoods League announced that Duluth Huskies outfielder Chris House (Georgia Tech) has been added to the North Division's roster for the 2008 All-Star Game. He'll replace injured St. Cloud River Bats outfielder Christian Ramirez (Cal State L.A.). House is in his third season with the Huskies. He's batting .272 with two doubles, two home runs, and nine RBI in 22 games this season.

Northwoods League Announces 2008 All-Stars

(ROCHESTER, MN) The Northwoods League announced the rosters for the 2008 All-Star Game that will be played Monday, July 14 at 7:05 PM Central in Madison, Wisconsin.

The host South Division All-Stars will take on their North Division counterparts at Warner Park, “The Duck Pond”, home to the NWL's Madison Mallards. The two-day event, which begins with a fan fest Sunday afternoon July 13, will conclude with the main attraction, the 2008 Northwoods League All-Star Game, beginning with the first pitch at 7:05 PM Central on Monday. The All-Star Game will again be broadcast nationally on ESPNU, with the telecast starting at 7:00 PM. During Sunday’s portion of the two-day event will be the Home Run Derby at 4:30 PM followed by a special exhibition game, the “All American Challenge”, pitting U.S. Military All-Stars vs. Home Talent League All-Stars at 6:05 PM. Monday at noon will be the All-Star Luncheon at the Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison.

The Rochester Honkers and St. Cloud River Bats lead the way with six all-stars per team. The North Division First-Half Champion Mankato MoonDogs placed five all-stars while the South Division Champions, and host, Madison Mallards landed four all-stars. Headlining Mankato’s selectees is the Northwoods League’s leader in home runs with seven, catcher Carlos Ramirez (Chandler-Gilbert CC). Second baseman Derek McCallum (Minnesota), one of the six selected from St. Cloud, leads the Northwoods League with a .376 batting average. Of the six all-stars for Rochester left-handed pitchers Peter Burg (St. Scholastica) and Phil Haig (Illinois) are both ranked in the top four in NWL pitching with earned run averages of 0.72 and 1.05, respectively.

Madison placed one of the four second-time all-stars on this year’s teams. Mallards catcher Eric Nielsen (Purdue) will make his second appearance for the South Division as will reigning NWL Co-MVP Kole Calhoun (Yavapai) of the Eau Claire Express. A pair of Alexandria Beetles will appear for the second time as Josh Upchurch (Florida Gulf Coast) and Tim Dellwo (Southern Arkansas) will help patrol the North Division’s outfield.

This year's All-Stars were chosen in a vote by the 14 member teams of the Northwoods League. Ballots were cast by each team's field staff and radio and media contacts. The complete list of All-Stars is below:

North Division All-Stars

Player                       Position       Year          NWL Team                       School

Matt Hill                       RHP             JR            Alexandria                 West Alabama

Alex Kalogrides            RHP            SO             Brainerd               San Francisco (CA)

Brendan Lafferty          LHP             JR              Mankato                          UCLA

Jimmy Reyes                 LHP             FR             Mankato                       Elon (NC)

Peter Burg                    LHP             JR             Rochester             St. Scholastica (MN)

Phil Haig                       LHP             FR             Rochester                        Illinois

Zach Robertson            LHP             SO            Rochester                Iowa Central CC

John Atteo                     LHP             SO             St. Cloud                   North Florida

Xavier Esquivel             RHP            SO             St. Cloud        Loyola Marymount (CA)

Ryan Sheldon                RHP             JR              St. Cloud            Nebraska-Kearney

Jimmy Stanley              RHP             JR           Thunder Bay                 Belmont (TN)

Nate Woods                  RHP             FR          Thunder Bay                 Belmont (TN)

Carlos Ramirez               C               SO             Mankato      Chandler-Gilbert CC (AZ)

Keith Castillo                  C               SO            Alexandria            Southern California

Eric Stephens                 1B              JR             Rochester             Cal State Fullerton

Derek McCallum           2B              SO             St. Cloud                      Minnesota

Tony Balisteri                 SS              FR             Rochester                   Virginia Tech

Devin Goodwin              3B              JR             Rochester              Delta State (MS)

Brian Hernandez         X-INF            SO             St. Cloud       Col of the Canyons (CA)

Derek Wiley                X-INF            JR           Thunder Bay                 Belmont (TN)

Josh Upchurch               OF              JR            Alexandria              Florida Gulf Coast

Cory Harrilchak             OF              JR              Mankato                       Elon (NC)

Michael Rockett            OF              JR              Mankato                Texas-San Antonio

Tim Dellwo                  X-OF            JR            Alexandria              Southern Arkansas

*Christian Ramirez      X-OF            FR              St. Cloud                    Cal State L.A.

Mike O’Neill                X-OF            SO          Thunder Bay            Southern California
Chris House                 X-OF            JR                Duluth                     Georgia Tech

Tim Jobe                        DH             SO               Duluth                Indian River CC (FL)

*Will not play due to injury.

South Division All-Stars

Player                       Position       Year          NWL Team                       School

RJ Hively                       RHP             FR           Battle Creek            Cal State Fullerton

Chris Odegaard            RHP            SO            Eau Claire    Minnesota State-Mankato

Matt Lange                   RHP             JR            Green Bay                  Portland (OR)

Aaron Dott                    LHP             SO             La Crosse        Wisconsin-Whitewater

Chris Sale                      LHP             FR             La Crosse              Florida Gulf Coast

Matt Jansen                  LHP             SO             Madison                     Purdue (IN)

Gabriel Shaw                RHP             FR              Madison                  Louisville (KY)

Bob Lackovic                RHP            SO             Waterloo                  Creighton (NE)
Josh Rickards                LHP             JR             Waterloo                     Marist (NY)

Kyle Gumieny               RHP            SO            Wisconsin                 Lamar CC (CO)

Bobby Pritchett            RHP            SO            Wisconsin               Central Arkansas

Aaron Varnum              RHP             JR             Wisconsin               Embry-Riddle (FL)

Rocky Gale                      C               SO            Green Bay                  Portland (OR)

Eric Nielsen                    C               SO             Madison                     Purdue (IN)

Derek Melton                1B              JR             La Crosse                  Evansville (IN)

AJ Shindler                     2B              JR           Battle Creek               Michigan State

Ryan Goins                     SS              SO             Waterloo              Dallas Baptist (TX)

Jeff Cowan                     3B              JR             Wisconsin                 High Point (NC)

Brooks Pinckard          X-INF            FR            Eau Claire                    Baylor (TX)

Nick O’Shea                 X-INF            FR            Green Bay                     Minnesota

Josh Prince                  X-INF            SO            Green Bay                    Tulane (LA)

Rob Lyerly                      OF              SO             Madison                   Charlotte (NC)

Joey Register                 OF              JR             Waterloo                     Texas A&M

Troy Frazier                   OF              SO            Wisconsin                      Kentucky

Kole Calhoun                X-OF            SO            Eau Claire                   Yavapai (AZ)

PJ Polk                          X-OF            FR             La Crosse                     Tennessee

Cory Vaughn                 DH              FR             La Crosse             San Diego State (CA)
 

Former Beetle Hundley Makes MLB Debut
Catcher Gets Start in his First Big League Game

(ROCHESTER, MN) Former Alexandria Beetles catcher Nick Hundley made his Major League debut Friday night for the San Diego Padres starting at catcher against Arizona. The 24-year old was called up earlier that day, less than four years since he last appeared in the Northwoods League.

Hundley had an eventful debut. Padres starting pitcher Cha Seung Baek took a no-hitter into the sixth inning. Later that inning, with the host Arizona Diamondbacks threatening, Hundley was a part of a highlight reel play. With a D-Backs player attempting to score from second base on a single to left field, Padres left fielder Chase Headley threw a perfect strike from the outfield to Hundley who barely needed to move his glove to catch the ball and apply the tag for the final out of the inning. Hundley went 1-for-3 at the plate with a walk and a run scored. His single came on a soft liner to centerfield against Dan Haren in the fifth inning.

Hundley played for the Beetles during the summer of 2004. He batted .293 with 12 doubles, four home runs, and 27 RBI in 39 games that season. Prior to joining the Beetles in ’04 he played in the College World Series with the University of Arizona Wildcats. Nick, originally from Corvallis, OR, was a second round selection by the Padres in the 2005 MLB draft. He was hitting .232 with 12 home runs and 39 RBI in 58 games with Triple-A Portland prior to being called up. Hundley becomes the fourth Alexandria Beetles player to advance to the Major Leagues.

The Northwoods League plays more games than, draws more fans than, and plays in venues superior to any Summer Collegiate Baseball League in North America. A total of 48 League alumni have advanced to the Major Leagues. The NWL’s 15^th season is ongoing.