La Crosse, Wis. – The La Crosse Loggers baseball club announced today that a pair of right-handed pitchers from their 2015 club will be returning to anchor their 2016 pitching staff. Loggers’ officials shared that red-shirt sophomore Kevin Flemer (California) and freshman Jack Ralston (UCLA) will be joining reigning NWL MVP Mason McCoy (Iowa) on their 2016 roster.
Flemer was the Loggers unquestionable ace throughout the summer of 2015, following his second spring at Oregon State University. The 6-foot right-hander went 3-1 with a 2.37 ERA over 57 innings pitched while striking out 40 and only walking 15. His nine games started tied for the team lead and he held opponents to a team best .179 batting average. Flemer spent the previous two seasons at Oregon State, posting a 3.86 ERA as a freshman with no decisions and went 1-1 with a 2.76 ERA as a sophomore before deciding to transfer to the University of California this year to follow in his brother’s footsteps. Kevin’s brother, Matt, was a standout at Cal from 2009-12 and was also 2010 Northwoods League All-Star with the Loggers before being drafted in the 27th Round of the MLB Draft by the Colorado Rockies.
UCLA freshman Jack Ralston competed as a high school senior this past summer for the Lumbermen and more than held his own. The 6-5 righty from Valencia, Calif. posted a 1-1 record with a 5.60 ERA over 11 appearances, two of which were starts. Ralston also struck out 27 batters over 27.1 innings pitched and limited opponents to a .250 batting average in his rookie season. Ralston was a four-time letter winner at Hart High School (California), the same school that produced Trevor Bauer (UCLA alum, current Cleveland Indians pitcher) and was also recognized as a 2015 Honorable Mention all-California Region honoree by Perfect Game.
The La Crosse Loggers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Preparing for its 22nd season of summer collegiate baseball, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 140 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (KC). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. For more information, visit www.lacrosseloggers.com.
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