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Chase Burch Named Rookie of the Year

September 2, 2009 - American Association (AA)
Pensacola Pelicans News Release


The American Association of Independent Professional Baseball announced today that Pensacola's Chase Burch is the Rookie of the Year. The 6'1" 245 pound Burch finished fourth in the league with a .341 average, and his nine home runs were second-best on the Pelicans.

Burch was hot from the start, hitting .404 in May. His .341 batting average ranked fourth in the league, and his .442 on-base percentage was third. After slugging .488, Burch found himself ranked fifth in the league.

Pelicans Manager Talmadge Nunnari has been impressed with his first-year player as well: "After a tryout review and some research on his career, we thought he'd make a good transition to professional baseball," Nunnari said. "His on-base percentage and slugging percentage numbers are pretty rare for a rookie. There's a significant difference between a college season and a full pro year, and Burch transitioned well; his numbers prove it."

Burch ended the regular season on a 51 game consecutive on-base streak, a league record. In Fort Worth on Monday, August 24, he tied Scooter Jordan's record of 45 straight games reaching base.

Named an All-Star in July, Burch also competed in the Home Run Derby, finishing second by one long ball to Cesar Nicolas of Grand Prairie.

After playing for Auburn University at Montgomery in 2008, Burch joined the Pelicans in 2009. The 2008 Senator batted .407 last year with 16 homeruns. He was named Southern States Athletic Conference tournament MVP after hitting four round trippers and bringing in 16 runs.

Chase Burch and the Pelicans are in the playoffs for the first time in the American Association and currently lead the Fort Worth Cats 1-0 in the best-of-five South Division Championship Series. The Cats have won two titles in the four-year-old American Association, but the Pelicans shutout the Cats 7-0 Tuesday night. The Pelicans will host game three on Friday, with tickets available at www.pensacolapelicans.com, via phone at (850) 934-8444, or in person at the Box Office at Pelican Park.



American Association Stories from September 2, 2009


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