Mequon, WI – The Mid-American Conference will once again be well-represented on the 2016 roster for the Lakeshore Chinooks, as General Manager Dean Rennicke has announced the addition of five MAC players in Dazon Cole (Central Michigan), Tim Dalporto (Kent State), Austin Havekost (Kent State), Cole Gnetz (Miami-OH), and Hayden Senger (Miami-OH).
Dazon Cole, a 29th round pick by the Atlanta Braves in the 2014, turned down the opportunity and, after initially planning to play at Wabash Valley College, transferred to Central Michigan in 2015. As a two-way player at Bloomfield Hills High School, Cole was rated as the No. 2 ranked player in Michigan by Perfect Game in 2014. While playing in both the outfield and infield in the Chippewa line-up, Cole who has big league potential on the mound has begun to focus more on the mechanics of pitching. In this his first season, Cole has made seven appearances, including two recent starts and owns a 1-1 record with an ERA of 4.32.
Tim Dalporto, a 6’3 sophomore catcher and infielder from La Grange, IL follows in the footsteps of Golden Flash teammates, Sawyer Polen and Zarley Zalewski, as an important member of the Lakeshore line-up. Dalporto’s versatility help give eddy Morgan flexibility with the line-up. Dalporto hit .252 in 34 starts as a freshman after a high school career at Nazareth Academy. This season, Dalporto is hitting .236, slugging .307, and getting on base at a .371 clip in 20 starts, while behind the plate has thrown out 10 of 23 runners.
Austin Havekost is a 6’4 210 lb. freshman pitcher from Seville, OH where he pitched at Medina High School. The hard throwing hurler was ranked as the seventh best high school pitching prospect in Ohio with a fastball clocked in the low-90’s. With one of the best pitching staffs in the MAC, the Kent coaching staff is weighing their options before allowing Havekost an appearance this season, which should keep the young hurler hungry for innings over the long Northwoods summer.
Cole Gnetz is another right-handed freshman pitcher with outstanding velocity and potential. A product of famed Cretin-Durham Hall High School, the Woodbury, MN native struck out 65 batters in 57 innings and posted a 0.98 ERA during senior season in which he finished runner-up for the Pioneer Press East Metro player of the Year. During his freshman season for Miami, Gnetz has made seven starts, including a complete game 2-0 shutout over Northern Illinois on April 3, and has posted a 4.23 ERA with 39 K’s.
Hayden Senger, also a freshman, is Gnetz’s battery mate at Miami. The 6’1 catcher from Lakota East High School in Ohio, who also lettered in football as a middle linebacker, is a rising star for the RedHawks with the potential to anchor the Miami line-up for the foreseeable future. Senger has already started 26 games, hitting .258 and blasting four home runs and four doubles.
You can catch your first glimpse of the 2016 Chinooks roster on Saturday, June 4th when Lakeshore takes on the Green Bay Bullfrogs at 6:35pm. Season tickets, mini game packages, and group tickets are all currently on sale. Single game tickets go on sale to the public Tuesday, May 3rd at 10:00am. For tickets and more information, call 262-618-4659 or visit lakeshorechinooks.com.
The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. The 22-year old summer collegiate 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 (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (CHC). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. For more information, visit www.northwoodsleague.com.