Three Sweets Selected All-Stars
July 17, 2012 - West Coast League (WCL)
Walla Walla Sweets News Release
WALLA WALLA, Wash. - Three members of the Sweets were selected to the 2012 East Division All-Star team that will compete against the West Division All-Star team in the West Coast League All-Star game presented by NAPA Auto Parts on Tuesday, July 24 at Borleske Stadium, the league announced on Tuesday.
Pitchers Hunter Virant and Arturo Reyes and outfielder/DH Spencer O'Neil will represent Walla Walla in the showcase event for the league in their home ballpark. Virant and Reyes were selected by the coaches and scouts and O'Neil was Walla Walla's fans choice recipient.
The two teams are comprised of 21 players from within their divisions. The East squad is highlighted by eight members from Kelowna, six from Bellingham and four from Wenatchee. Seven Corvallis players lead the West Division and will be joined by five players from Klamath Falls, four from Cowlitz, four from Bend and one from Kitsap.
A recent high school graduate and 11th round draft pick of the Houston Astros, Virant has made the jump to college-level competition flawlessly this summer. He is 2-0 with a team-best 1.80 ERA. Over 20 innings, Virant has allowed a measly eight hits and has struck out 16. He has allowed two runs or less in each of his three starts, including an eight-inning performance last Tuesday against Cowlitz in which he allowed just two runs on two hits.
Reyes was a late signee for the Sweets and the right-hander from Warden has been outstanding on the rubber this summer. In six starts, Reyes is 3-1 with a 2.18 ERA over 41 1/3 innings. He's allowed 33 hits, walked 10 and struck out 25. The league-leader with two complete games this summer, Reyes has allowed one run or less in five of his six starts to date. In his first start of the season, Reyes struck out seven and allowed just one run on five hits in a complete-game victory over Kitsap on June 5.
Last year's All-Star game MVP in Corvallis, O'Neil will return to the event looking to repeat his performance. As a recently graduated high school senior last summer, O'Neil wowed the crowd with a 3-for-4 performance that included a home run to gain the game's top honor. This summer, O'Neil has provided a heavy dose of power in the middle of the Sweets' lineup. The sweet-swinging lefty is currently second in the league with five home runs, third in RBI with 26 and leads the league in hit-by-pitches with 11.
The 2012 WCL All-Star Game presented by NAPA Auto Parts will be held at Borleske Stadium on Tuesday, July 24. First pitch is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. Prior to the game, the league's biggest home run threats will swing for the fences in the Columbia REA Home Run Derby. The derby begins at 5:30 p.m.
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West Coast League Stories from July 17, 2012
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