Home-grown hitters power Blue Hens

Alumni Report

By Bill Free | Sun Reporter

April 24, 2008

Delaware freshman third baseman Michelle Grap (Centennial) was leading the team in home runs and RBIs with five and 25, respectively, through Tuesday, in addition to collecting 14 walks, having a .494 slugging percentage and a .362 on-base percentage.

Grap also was hitting .258 with six doubles for the Blue Hens, who were 19-19 overall and 4-11 in the Colonial Athletic Association through Tuesday.

Grap had started 33 of 38 games, the same number of starts for another Baltimore-area player for Delaware, senior second baseman-outfielder Allison Borchers (Fallston).

Borchers, a tri-captain, was right behind Grap in hitting with a .256 average; she had two home runs, 20 RBIs, a .378 slugging percentage, and a .358 on-base percentage. She also had 14 walks, 15 runs and three doubles, and was 2-for-2 in stolen bases.

Black plays in Fenway

Second-year freshman left fielder-designated hitter Andrew Black (Friends) has started 13 games and played in five others this season for the Massachusetts baseball team.

Black was hitting .222 through Tuesday with an on-base percentage of .340, helped by eight walks, while splitting time in left field and at designated hitter with two teammates.

He has displayed a strong arm in the outfield, throwing out three runners for the Minutemen, who were 5-10 in the Atlantic 10 and 12-18 overall.

Black had a major thrill last week at Fenway Park when he started in left field against Boston College in the Beanpot Championship game. UMass beat BC, 4-3, and Black went 1-for-2 at the plate.

Black transferred to UMass from Bradley, where he was redshirted his freshman season.

Ober leads Bullets

Gettysburg junior center fielder Erin Ober (Dulaney) leads the team or is second in almost every important offensive category this season.

Ober tops the Bullets in home runs with three and slugging percentage at .516, and is tied for first in runs scored with 17 through Tuesday.

She is second in batting average (.326) and RBIs (16) while collecting five doubles and two triples and stealing four bases in four attempts.

Another Baltimore-area player at Gettysburg, freshman third baseman/catcher Megan MacNabb (Severna Park), has started 15 games, has six RBIs, and is hitting .190.

The Bullets were 13-16 overall and 5-9 in the Centennial Conference.

Contact Bill Free by e-mail at bfree7066@hotmail.com or by phone at 410-833-5349.