A Host of LIU Blackbirds Enjoy Success in Summer Baseball Leagues

8/7/06 --Several returning members of the Long Island University baseball team enjoyed successful summers in some prestigious collegiate leagues.

The battery tandem of sophomore Kenny Cedel (Staten Island, N.Y.) and junior Danny Etkin (Brooklyn, N.Y.) have taken their show on the road this summer, teaming up to play for the Luray Wranglers of the Valley Baseball League, one of the most prominent leagues in the country.

Cedel was a key ingredient in the Wranglers’ march to their first-ever league title- the Jim Lineweaver Cup. The left-hander appeared in 18 games with a 2-1 record and a 3.06 ERA. Cedel pitched two shutout innings in game one of the best-of-five championship series against the Staunton Braves. He figured into the decisive fifth game, striking out the one batter he faced in the sixth inning to htitle a Staunton rally.

Etkin played in 12 games behind the plate and had a home run and three RBI to his credit in 44 at-bats for the Wranglers.

Senior hurlers Rich Moran (Carmel, N.Y.) and John Dooley (Deer Park, N.Y.) spent their respective summers playing in the Coastal Plain League.

Dooley has been dominant in relief for the Florence RedWolves, maintaining a perfect 0.00 ERA over 14.2 innings. The righthander has an unblemished 2-0 record and has held opponents to a miniscule .176 batting average. The RedWolves season concludes on Wednesday, August 9.

Moran got off to a great start for the Wilson Tobs, pitching a complete-game shutout in his first start in June, a 1-0 victory over Outer Banks. The 6-6 righty also pitched a complete game in his second appearance, allowing two earned runs and five hits over nine innings in a 3-1 set-back.

Rising senior Marcus Wynn (Plainfield, N.J.) also has had an outstanding summer in the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League. Playing for the Jersey Pilots, Wynn compiled a .322 batting average and led the team with a .438 on-base percentage. Wynn paced the squad with 13 stolen bases and was second on the team in hits (28), RBI (15) and doubles (6).

Sophomore Anthony Amatucci (Toms River, N.J.) has also had an impressive summer, batting a team-best .387 for the Ocean Giants of the Atlantic Baseball Confederation Collegiate League. The corner outfielder had five doubles and a triple in only ten games for the Giants.

Also participating in summer league action are: Danny Pirillo, who has been a regular in the lineup of the Thunder Bay Border Cats of the Northwoods League; Robbie Rowen, who is playing in the Central Valley League; and James Adamo, who is participating in the New Jersey Met League.