Bowling Green State University Athletics
Nolan Reimold hits his second HR of the game, a three-run shot, in a win over Kansas City last week (all photos courtesy Associated Press)
BGSU Baseball Alums Thriving in the Pros
June 01, 2011 | Baseball
The Bowling Green State University baseball team has seen the 2011 season come to an end, but a number of Falcon alumni are having solid seasons in the professional ranks. Two former Falcons, Burke Badenhop and Nolan Reimold, are currently in the major leagues, while Andy Tracy and Brennen Smith are in the minors.
Badenhop (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg) is in his fourth season with the Florida Marlins. This season, he opened the year at Triple-A New Orleans before being called up to the Marlins on May 7. With the parent club, Badenhop has appeared in 11 games to date, all in relief. He has a 1-0 record and an earned-run average of 2.92 in 12-plus innings of work, and has allowed opponents to bat just .238 against him.
Two weeks ago (May 16), Badenhop had a two-out single in his only at-bat so far this season, knocking in what proved to be the winning run in the top of the 11th inning as the Marlins downed the New York Mets. The hit was the second of his career and his first in three seasons. Badenhop also earned the win in that game, pitching a scoreless 10th before his single up the middle in the next half inning.
Reimold (Greenville, Pa./Kennedy Catholic) is currently batting .360 for the Baltimore Orioles. In 25 at-bats, he has nine hits, including four for extra bases. Reimold has three home runs and seven runs batted in to date, and has an on-base percentage of .448 and a slugging percentage of .760.
Reimold, who began the season with Triple-A Norfolk, was called up by the Orioles on May 20. The following day, he made his first start of the season and homered vs. the Washington Nationals. Last Thursday (May 26), he drew the start in left field and went 4-for-4 with two homers and four RBI in a victory against the Kansas City Royals. The multiple-homer game was the first of his major-league career.
Tracy (Bowling Green, Ohio/Bowling Green) is currently with the Reno Aces of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. Currently, he is batting .305 on the season, with six homers and 23 RBI for the Arizona Diamondbacks' top minor-league affiliate. Tracy has 10 doubles and 26 runs scored this year to date.
Tracy is in his first season with the Diamondbacks organization after three years in the Philadelphia Phillies system. Last year, he hit .275 with 21 homers and 80 RBI for Lehigh Valley, after homering 26 times and knocking in 96 runs in 2009. Tracy has hit at least 20 homers in five consecutive seasons entering 2011. He leads all active minor league hitters in career homers, with 284.
Smith (Sandusky, Ohio/Perkins) is currently with the West Michigan Whitecaps, a Detroit Tigers affiliate in the Class-A Midwest League. Currently, Smith has a 1-2 record and an ERA of just 2.93. He has pitched in six games for the Whitecaps, starting four, and has one complete game to date. Smith has struck out 20 batters in 27 2/3 innings worked.
Smith, the 2009 MAC Pitcher of the Year, picked up his first win of the season with five and two-thirds innings of shutout relief in a win over Fort Wayne on May 22. In that game, Smith allowed only one hit and one walk. After an injury to the starting pitcher, Smith entered the game in the third inning. He retired 16 of the 18 hitters he faced, allowing a double and a walk to consecutive hitters in the fourth inning before setting down the next 14 men in order. Smith earned the win after the Whitecaps got a pair of seventh-inning runs in a 2-1 victory.
On Wednesday (June 1), Reimold and the Orioles are in Seattle to take on the Mariners, while Badenhop and the Marlins are also on the road, facing the Diamondbacks. Down on the farm, Tracy and Reno play the second game in a four-game series at Tacoma, and Smith and West Michigan continue a six-game homestand with a game against Quad Cities.
Badenhop (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg) is in his fourth season with the Florida Marlins. This season, he opened the year at Triple-A New Orleans before being called up to the Marlins on May 7. With the parent club, Badenhop has appeared in 11 games to date, all in relief. He has a 1-0 record and an earned-run average of 2.92 in 12-plus innings of work, and has allowed opponents to bat just .238 against him.
Two weeks ago (May 16), Badenhop had a two-out single in his only at-bat so far this season, knocking in what proved to be the winning run in the top of the 11th inning as the Marlins downed the New York Mets. The hit was the second of his career and his first in three seasons. Badenhop also earned the win in that game, pitching a scoreless 10th before his single up the middle in the next half inning.
Reimold, who began the season with Triple-A Norfolk, was called up by the Orioles on May 20. The following day, he made his first start of the season and homered vs. the Washington Nationals. Last Thursday (May 26), he drew the start in left field and went 4-for-4 with two homers and four RBI in a victory against the Kansas City Royals. The multiple-homer game was the first of his major-league career.
Tracy (Bowling Green, Ohio/Bowling Green) is currently with the Reno Aces of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. Currently, he is batting .305 on the season, with six homers and 23 RBI for the Arizona Diamondbacks' top minor-league affiliate. Tracy has 10 doubles and 26 runs scored this year to date.
Tracy is in his first season with the Diamondbacks organization after three years in the Philadelphia Phillies system. Last year, he hit .275 with 21 homers and 80 RBI for Lehigh Valley, after homering 26 times and knocking in 96 runs in 2009. Tracy has hit at least 20 homers in five consecutive seasons entering 2011. He leads all active minor league hitters in career homers, with 284.
Smith (Sandusky, Ohio/Perkins) is currently with the West Michigan Whitecaps, a Detroit Tigers affiliate in the Class-A Midwest League. Currently, Smith has a 1-2 record and an ERA of just 2.93. He has pitched in six games for the Whitecaps, starting four, and has one complete game to date. Smith has struck out 20 batters in 27 2/3 innings worked.
Smith, the 2009 MAC Pitcher of the Year, picked up his first win of the season with five and two-thirds innings of shutout relief in a win over Fort Wayne on May 22. In that game, Smith allowed only one hit and one walk. After an injury to the starting pitcher, Smith entered the game in the third inning. He retired 16 of the 18 hitters he faced, allowing a double and a walk to consecutive hitters in the fourth inning before setting down the next 14 men in order. Smith earned the win after the Whitecaps got a pair of seventh-inning runs in a 2-1 victory.
On Wednesday (June 1), Reimold and the Orioles are in Seattle to take on the Mariners, while Badenhop and the Marlins are also on the road, facing the Diamondbacks. Down on the farm, Tracy and Reno play the second game in a four-game series at Tacoma, and Smith and West Michigan continue a six-game homestand with a game against Quad Cities.
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