July 7, 2009

ANDREWS, FOREST CITY RANKED NO. 1 IN SUMMER LEAGUE BASEBALL

FOREST CITY, N.C. – The summer schedule of a college student can involve sleeping late, long hours at the pool, and frequent trips to the beach.

College baseball players, however, often spend their summers playing with wooden bats in front of professional scouts for a glimmer of hope that their baseball careers will extend beyond four years of college.

Virginia Commonwealth University right-handed pitcher Robbie Andrews is on a quest to prove he fits within the grind of professional baseball as the rising senior has enjoyed success this summer with the Forest City Owls of the Coastal Plain League. 

Andrews has been a stopper in the back end of the Forest City bullpen, converting all nine save opportunities in a team-best 11 appearances and has yet to allow a run or walk in 12 1/3 innings on the mound.

He’s scattered seven hits while accumulating 16 strikeouts and is limiting opponents to a .159 batting average.

Forest City, which was ranked No. 2 in Perfect Game Crosschecker’s weekly top-25 poll the previous two weeks, jumped ahead of the Chatham Anglers of the prestigious Cape Cod League and received the nation’s No. 1 ranking for the first time in franchise history.

The Owls, who currently own a stellar 29-4 record, broke a league mark for most victories in any half of a season (24) – the CPL operates on a 56-game, split season schedule – and entered second half play leading the league in eight pitching and seven offensive categories.

On the heels of two consecutive all-star appearances as a member of the Covingtion Lumberjacks of the Valley Baseball League, Andrews will look to make it three-straight this summer as the CPL will announce its rosters on July 14-15.