Hammers sign two in draft

March 29, 2006 - Northern League (NL)
Joliet JackHammers News Release


JOLIET, IL - The Joliet JackHammers signed former Louisiana State University Tiger Blake Gill as they continue to build their 2006 roster. The JackHammers fifth anniversary season is scheduled to begin on Friday, May 26 at 7:05 p.m. versus the Edmonton Cracker-Cats at Silver Cross Field in Joliet's City Center.

Gill played college baseball at LSU in Baton Rouge, LA. He was a versatile infielder who started at least one game at third base, second base, first base and designated hitter in 2005. He played in 237 games in his four-year career with 217 starts. On May 22nd, 2005 he tied a career high with four hits in the division clinching win at Mississippi State. Gill was instrumental in the Tigers 6-5 series opening win over Kentucky where he lined a two-run double in the seventh inning which proved to be the game winner. In his four year career at LSU, he batted .316 (279 for 883) with 46 doubles, 10 triples, 18 homeruns, 170 RBI, 158 runs scored and 19 stolen bases.

Gill was a baseball and football letterman and an all-state and all-area selection at Manatee High School in Bradenton, FL. In 1999 he batted .496 with 12 homeruns and 65 RBI. He helped his team win the 1997 District 6A championship. He was born October 26, 1981 in Bradenton, FL. He stands 5'10" and weighs 190 pounds and bats left-handed and throws right-handed. He was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 37th round of the 2004 draft.

"Blake was one of the top players in the very prestigious Southeastern Conference the last four years at LSU," said JackHammers Director of Player Development Nick Belmonte. "Blake is known as a hard nose player that can play many positions. He's exactly the type of player that we look for."

The Northern League held their two-day Northern League Open Tryout camp last week at Red McEwen Field on the University of South Florida campus in Tampa, FL. There were 134 players that attended the tryout. With the first selection in the first round of the two-round draft, the JackHammers selected catcher Dennis Blackmon. With the seventh selection in the second round, the JackHammers selected right-handed pitcher Derell McCall.

"Blackmon has an outstanding arm, he was timed at 1.75 throwing to second base and he received the ball great," said manager Hal Lanier. "Every manager in the camp was excited about his arm strength and how accurate he was at throwing to second base. McCall threw the ball great and he never lost any velocity on either day. I was very impressed with his fastball and his breaking pitches. He is an experienced pitcher and has six years of pitching already under his belt at a young age of 24."

LOOSE GRAVEL: The Joliet JackHammers will begin selling individual game tickets on Saturday, April 1st. Tickets for all 48 regular season home games and the Budweiser Legends Game will be available on-line, in-person or by telephone. The Silver Cross Field ticket office will be open for business from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 1. There will be free coffee, doughnuts, hot dogs and pop with a ticket purchase. The JackHammers will also have the bounce house set up for kids along with a live remote from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. from WCCQ, 98.3 FM. The Budweiser Legends game tickets will be available with the purchase of a JackHammer ticket. The Budweiser Legends game is an exhibition baseball game featuring former American League and National League players.

The JackHammers have full season tickets, mini-plan ticket packages and a variety of group ticket packages available for the 2006 season. For additional information, call 815-726-BALL (2255), visit the team's website at www.jackhammerbaseball.com, send an e-mail to info@jackhammerbaseball.com or visit the team offices at Silver Cross Field.



Northern League Stories from March 29, 2006


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