(Elsah, IL) - Sophomores Alan Cheatham and Greg Ball will be honing their skills against some of the top country's collegiate baseball players this summer. Cheatham, a converted catcher, will play 35+ games on the island of Oahu in the Hawaii Collegiate League. Ball, a right handed pitcher (RHP) for the Panthers, will play a 42-game schedule in the Mountain Collegiate Baseball League with teams from Colorado and Wyoming. Both of these leagues feature many college players who will go on to careers in professional baseball.
“Alan and Greg are two of the best to ever put on a Principia baseball uniform. I am confident that they will both do a terrific job for their summer teams and come back better ballplayers,” remarked Coach Pete Paciorek.
As freshmen last season for the Panthers, Cheatham and Ball led the team to the most successful season in more than 2 decades. Cheatham batted over .400 and belted 11 homeruns, which is a single season record for Principia. Ball was a dominant force on the mound as he collected a team high 7 victories, which tied a Principia College record.
“Since his arrival in Elsah, Coach Paciorek has done a terrific job of bringing in top level baseball talent to Principia. Programs like the college wood bat summer leagues are an inducement for these athletes to continue to hone their skills. Having a coach with the contacts to place players in these environments is an important component in building a championship program. My congratulations go out to Coach Paciorek, Alan and Greg. This is very exciting for Principia Baseball!,” said Principia College Athletic Director, Lee Ellis.
Both of these young men are looking forward to having another great season for the Panthers this year, and then following it up with a highly successful summer season.