Lewis a hero in Coastal Bend area; recovering from serious injuries

August 10, 2009 - United League Baseball (ULB) News Release


Chris Lewis is the fourth best hitter for the Coastal Bend Thunder with a .303 record (as of this writing).

However, it's a miracle that the former Stanford University athlete is playing ball at all.

On his way to work up the Los Angeles Angels baseball ladder, Lewis was seriously injured in 2006 when his vehicle was struck by a drunken driver, which appeared to halt his professional baseball career.

Lewis, as a senior at Stanford, had been second on that team in 2006 with a career-tying eight home runs and a career high 48 RBIs and a batting average of .301.

He impressed the Angels enough that they drafted him in 2006. He played for the Tempe Angels, then came the auto accident causing him serious leg and other injuries.

It was improbable that he would ever play professional baseball. But against the great odds, he spent several months in intense rehab. It has been a long way back.

Thunder General Manager C.J. Bauer said he received a phone call earlier this year from Lewis' father explaining his son's circumstances.

Bauer said he and Field Manager Al Gallagher, although doubtful, decided to give the former Stanford star a chance.

The six-foot 210-pound infielder did not play much at first, but he was told to be patient, that he would get his chance.

He has that chance now and the second baseman sports that .303 mark in 47 games, with 27 RBIs, four home runs and 11 doubles. His slugging percentage is .434.

Bauer said that Lewis had not been injured, "who knows how far up he might be in the Angels farm system now."

Bauer added, "He puts the barrel of the bat on the ball, fully extended, as well as anyone on this team."

Bauer said he believes Lewis' come back is the best story in the league this year.

The Thunder (26-31), with 23 games left in the 2009 United League Baseball season (they were rained out Monday night against Amarillo), are battling for fourth place with the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings (27-31).

Although they have cooled down a bit, the first place San Angelo Colts (38-20) still hold a nice margin over the Edinburg Roadrunners (31-27) and the Amarillo Dillas (30-27). The Laredo Broncos (21-37) bring up the rear.

Bryan Frichter leads the league in hitting percentage at .409, although he has also cooled down a bit.

He also leads in stolen bases with 28.

Frichter is one of three Colts whose hitting is among the top 10. The others are Jason Landreth, third with a .349 mark, and Butch Ballez, 10th at .328.

It's not been just the hitting that has kept the Colts in first place with the season winding down (22 regular season games left); they have some of the best hurlers in the ULB in Chandler Barnard (9-2), Brian Henschel (8-3), who is first in ERAs at 1.85, and Ezequiel Anastacio (6-1). Tim Haines of Edinburg is 6-4.

Landreth leads in home runs with 15, Trent Lockwood of Amarillo has 12,Laredo's Argelis Nunez has 11 and Rio Grande Valley's Brian Nichols has 10.

Landreth leads in RBIs with 59, Lockwood has 52, Nunez also has 52 and Amarillo's Terrance McClain has 47.

The Colts still lead in team batting, at .291. Second is Amarillo, .286; followed by Laredo, .281; Rio Grande Valley, .276; Edinburg, .269; and Coastal Bend, .262.

The Dillas also have three players among the top 10 in hitting.

They are Keanon Simon, fourth at .347, Carlos Figueroa, seventh (.335) and Terrance McClain, eighth, with a .333.

Brian Nichols, Rio Grande Valley, has moved up to second with a .351 batting average.

Other top hitters include:

Luis Ugueta, Laredo, .343; and Nunez, 346.

Frichter leads in stolen bases, with 28, followed by Simon, 24, and Dustin Smith, Coastal Bend, 23.

WhiteWings closer Julio Santana has the most saves, 15, followed by Chase Vacek with 12.

Upcoming games:

Through August 15 - Laredo at Amarillo, San Angelo at Coastal Bend and Edinburg at Rio Grande Valley. August 16-19 - Amarillo at San Angelo, Edinburg at Coastal Bend and Rio Grande Valley at Laredo. August 20-23 - San Angelo at Amarillo, Coastal Bend at Rio Grande Valley and Laredo at Edinburg.



United League Baseball Stories from August 10, 2009


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