Newport Sends Flock of Gulls to 2013 All-Star Game

July 16, 2013 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Newport Gulls News Release


NEWPORT, R.I. - Nine Newport Gulls were named to the 2013 NECBL Eastern Division All-Star team on Monday, July 15. Newport has three starters on the Eastern Division roster including first baseman Steve Anderson, third baseman Joel McKeithan, and outfielder Ben Roberts. Outfielder Cody Jones, short stop Trace Tam Sing, second baseman Shea Donlin, and pitchers Brett Graves, Brett Lilek and Kyle Wilcox will serve in reserve for the Eastern roster.

The 2013 NECBL All-Star Game, the 20th in league history, will take place at Robbie Mills Field in Laconia, New Hampshire on Sunday, July 21st. First pitch is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

The Newport Gulls are 19-9 overall this season, and have a two-game edge over the Vermont Mountaineers (16-9) for the best record in the NECBL. The Gulls have a two game lead over the Ocean State Waves for first place in the Eastern Division.

Newport leads the NECBL in runs (153), doubles (49), hits (348), .OBP (.378) and walks (142). The Gulls are also second in the league in hits (251) and RBI (125). Newport additionally boasts the best ERA in the league (2.07) and second best OAVG (.221).

Brett Graves, a junior out of Missouri, has been the ace starter for Newport this season. With a league best 4-0 record and the league second best ERA (.061) he earned the number 2 slot in the pitching rotation for the Eastern Division All Star roster. Graves a returning Gull from the 2012 championship squad, has allowed only 18 hits and 9 walks over 29.1 innings striking out 27. Graves has one shut out on the season, which was his first start for the Gulls back on June 12 against North Adams.

Brett Lilek, a sophomore out of Arizona State, has made 3 starts in 5 appearances for the Gulls this season with a 3-1 record and 1.28 ERA. Lilek has grown from a reliever for Newport to a starter in the rotation this summer.

Over 21 innings, Lilek has allowed only 16 hits, 4 walks and struck out 16. Lilek has proven to be versatile for the Gulls when he earned a save in a 7-2 win over Laconia in lights out performance at home. He allowed no man to reach base in 3 innings of relief, striking out 1 and walking 1.

Kyle Wilcox, a Bryant University sophomore, has taken on the role of closer for the Gulls in the 2013 season. Second in the league in saves with 5, Wilcox has a 1-0 record with a 0.00 ERA. He has allowed only 11 hits and 5 walks while striking out 20 over 14.1 innings of work.

Steve Anderson, a senior Hoya and veteran Gull, earned the start at first base for the Eastern Division All Stars. Anderson has been a stand out in his second season in the NECBL earning player of the week honors in early July as well as leading the league for 3 straight weeks in RBI (30). Anderson, who has switched out between first base and designated hitter for the Gulls this season, has 9 doubles, 1 triple, 3 homeruns and 16 walks with a .237 AVG. In addition to his start, Anderson will compete against the power hitters of the league in the Home Run Derby.

Joel McKeithan, the senior out of Vanderbilt, is also a returning Gull from the National and League Championship roster. McKeithan, the everyday third basemen for Newport in 2013, has amassed 28 hits with 4 doubles and 13 RBI over 23 games. He will get the start at third for the Eastern Division All Stars this Sunday.

Shea Donlin, one of three Washington State Cougars on from Newport headed to the All Star Game, will play in reserve for second base on Sunday. Donlin, a starting second baseman for the Gulls, has been consistent in the infield for Newport committing only 2 errors in 18 games. On July 8 against New Bedford, Donlin helped lift the Gulls to a 5-4 win over the Bay Sox going 2-3 with a run and a double.

Trace Tam Sing, a senior Cougar, will appear in reserve for short stop in the All Star match-up. The regular starting short stop for the Gulls, Tam Sing has brought speed to the Gulls offense with 10 stolen bases and 6 doubles in 28 games in the 2 slot of the order.

Ben Roberts, a Washington State junior, will get the start in the outfield for the Eastern Division All Stars. Roberts has brought a powerful bat and intimidating plate presence to the dish for the Gulls this season with 37 hits, 14 doubles, 1 homerun, and 17 walks as regular outfielder at the corners for Newport. With a .330 AVG, he has proved critical to the Gulls league leading runs scored total with the veteran Gulls in the middle of the order.

Cody Jones, the TCU junior, has the reserve spot in the Eastern roster for center field. The regular starting center fielder for Newport, Jones has brought the team great success from the top of the order getting himself on base with patience at the plate and speed on the base path.

Jones is second in the league in stolen bases (15) and third in the league in walks (18). Jones has gained notoriety in the league for his impressive effort and performance in the outfield. With no errors on the season and run saving putouts, Jones has proven to be a crucial asset to the organization on defense. In addition to his reserve position, Jones will compete to be name the Fastest Man in the NECBL in the 60 yard-dash competition with the league's fastest base runners.

Since the Gulls were in first place in the NECBL East at the time of selections, the team's coaching staff, led by ninth year Manager Mike Coombs, will be the staff for the NECBL East team. Rounded out by hitting coach Al Leyva, Pitching Coach Kevin Long and Assistant Coach Frank Holbrook, the veteran staff includes two coaches - Long and Leyva - who are in their third season alongside Coombs.

It will be the seventh time since becoming the Gulls manager in 2006 that the Gulls skipper will be the manager of his division's All-Star Team.



New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 16, 2013


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