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June 9, 2008

PHILADELPHIA -

A total of 15 Temple baseball players will play in 11 different summer baseball leagues in preparation for the 2009 season. Several players will experience another area of the country, while others return home or stay local for the summer season.

Temple ace Matt Mongiardini, who was 6-5 with a 3.59 ERA this spring, will travel to the Coastal Plains League as a member of the Edenton Steamers. The right-hander earned all-Philadelphia Big 5 honors after pitching a team and career-high 80.1 innings for the Owls.

Sean Barksdale will play for the St. Cloud Riverbats in the Northwoods League. Featuring some of the best crowds that summer baseball has to offer, Barksdale will take his team-highs of 12 doubles, 47 RBI and 27 steals to Minnesota.

All-Atlantic 10 and Big 5 performer Byron McKoy will return home to his native state to play for the Carolina Thunder of the Southern Collegiate Baseball League. McKoy led the Owls with a .352 batting average in 2008.

A pair of teammates will play for the Fort Collins Foxes of the Mountain Collegiate League. Lenny Del Grippo returns to the Foxes after helping them to the league title in 2007. Carmen Del Mastro makes his first trip to the MCBL after batting .266 in 46 starts this spring.

Two right-hander relievers will team up for the Allegany Nitros in the New York Collegiate Baseball League. Matt Blackburn, who went 3-1 in 20 appearances, and Kyle Monahan will spend the summer in Western New York.

Jordan Cannon and Steve Nikorak will be rivals in the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League. Cannon, who struck out 26 batters in 27.1 innings, will play for the Kutztown Rockies. Nikorak, a two-way threat as a pitcher (3-3, 4.58 ERA) and infielder (.264, 12 doubles) will join the Lehigh Valley Catz.

Kyle Obal and Ben White will play in the Cal Ripken, Sr. Collegiate Baseball League. Obal, an All-Big 5 selection after batting a career-high .304, will play just minutes away from his home in Derwood, MD for the Rockville Express. White, who was 2-3 as a freshman, will play for the Maryland Redbirds.

Jamie Abercrombie will compete for the Upper Moreland Brewers in the PenDel League. The Brewers are coached by former Temple pitcher Pete Moore.

Ryan Thomas will compete for the Washington BlueSox in the Tri-State Collegiate League. Thomas broke the school record for appearances (27) and compiled a 3-2 record.

Ben Flanary (Marlton, NJ / Cherokee) will suit up for the Protocall Starz in the Atlantic Baseball Confederation Collegiate League. Flanary made 12 starts at 1B for Temple this spring. Mike Click will play for the ABCO Phillies of the AABA, while Rafael Cordero will play in the New York City Metro Baseball League.