Left-handed pitcher Ryan Gehring and right-hander Bill Bernabei, both from the University of Illinois-Chicago will join the Madison Mallards this summer. Gehring, a Wisconsin native, was named the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association Player of the Year for Burlington Catholic Central last year after posting a 0.52 ERA and striking out 125 batters in 68 innings. This season Gehring has 6-1 record and a 2.93 ERA in his first 11 appearances. Bernabei, Andrew High School?s (Tinley Park, IL) most valuable player last year has compiled a 4.41 ERA and a 1-0 record in his first 10 appearances with the UIC Flames.

2002 Spring College Statistics
Player ERA W-L APP GS CG SV IP H R ER BR SO 2B 3B HR AB B/AVG
Gehring 2.93 6-1 11 6 2 1 55.1 51 22 18 6 45 6 0 3 213 .239
Bernabei 4.41 1-0 10 0 0 1 16.1 20 9 8 6 18 4 0 3 64 .313

Also of note, former Mallards catcher David Castillo of Oral Roberts University was named to the Baseball America Sophomore All-American Team. Last year for the Mallards, Castillo hit .168 with one homerun and 11 RBI. This season Castillo is hitting .421 with seven homeruns and 45 RBI through April 29 for Oral Roberts.