For your MoonDogs Alumni of the Week, we have fielder Max Williams, and pitcher Joe Ruzicka.
Max Williams is a Florida State outfielder and starter, who helped the Seminoles to a sweep against Lipscomb this weekend. In game 1 vs the Bison, Williams had 5 at-bats, 2 hits, 2 runs, 2 RBIs, and a homerun! This homerun would be Williams fifth of the season! He would end that game with a batting average of .351. For fielding, Williams held his own with having a total of 8 chances on the weekend, then fulfilling those into putouts, and no errors. With his 6 putouts in the second game vs Lipscomb, this would be Williams new season high.
Williams played for the MoonDogs in 2023, where he would bat in 50 games, have 190 at-bats, 37 runs, 60 hits, 21 doubles, 39 RBIs, and 5 homeruns! He ended his 2023 season with a batting average of .316. He would play in the field for the MoonDogs in 48 games, competing in 398 innings, 94 total chances which would make up of; 87 putouts, 3 assists, and 4 errors.
Joe Ruzicka is a Belmont University arm, who recorded a win vs Little Rock this past weekend. Ruzicka pitched 6 innings, with 5 strikeouts, 4 walks, and only allowed 1 earned run. He had a game ERA of 1.50, and his season ERA this far is 3.60. Ruzicka’s 5 strikeouts is a new season high for the Belmont arm. Aside from his outting on the mound, Ruzicka also had a putout and an assist during the Little Rock game.
Ruzicka played for the MoonDogs in 2024, where he started in 4 games and had 2 wins. He recorded 21 innings pitched, 86 batters-faced, and 30 strikeouts. His season ending ERA was 3.43. The most notable game for Ruzicka was his June 15th appearance vs the Rox, where in his 5.1 innings, he had no hits, 11 strikeouts, and an ERA of 1.69.
###
The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its’ 31st season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in history with 24 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, over 370 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and two-time World Series Champion Max Scherzer (TEX), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford and World Series Champion and Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2023 World Series Champion, MLB All-Star, MLB Gold Glove, two-time Silver Slugger winner and two-time All-MLB first team shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). League games are viewable live on Northwoods League+ (at watch.northwoodsleague.com), ESPN+, and the Northwoods League Network.