Baseball notebook: Kernels players keep tabs on their alma maters in super regionals

CEDAR RAPIDS — He may or may not have had teammates running a little bit of intel to him during his start Friday night for the Cedar Rapids Kernels. It was their choice to do so, not his, by the way.

Clark Beeker threw six effective innings and got the win, so it wasn't like he was distracted from the most important task at hand. But when your alma mater, a true Cinderella, is playing an extra-inning game in the college baseball super regionals, you're dying to know what's going on.

'I was watching the whole thing as long as I could,' Beeker said. 'Somebody had said 'If you don't watch it, what would happen?' But I was like, 'I have to watch this.' It gave me a little better feel watching it, instead of not watching it and worrying about it the whole time. The last I saw was we had gotten out of a bases-loaded jam in the 10th or 11th inning.'

That's when Beeker had to start preparing for his outing. In the end, his Davidson Wildcats lost to Texas A&M in an epic 15-inning heartbreaker.

Kernels teammates Caleb Hamilton and Logan Lombana got better news, as Oregon State and Long Beach State won the openers of their best-of-3 series. In talking to them, there is no question all three of these guys are emotionally invested in how their former college programs do.

'We know so many of these guys,' said Lombana, drafted by the Minnesota Twins out of Long Beach State in 2015. 'I try to communicate with them as much as I can, keep up. Especially playing against (Cal State) Fullerton now, it's a big rivalry. So it's not only being in a super regional, it's playing a big rival. You don't really have to talk to them, they already know what's at stake. The CWS is on the line, too. It's cool.'

Long Beach and Fullerton played again Saturday, as did top-ranked Oregon State and Vanderbilt.

'It's obviously cool being from a program with a big tradition of getting into regionals and super regionals and the College World Series,' said Hamilton, a draft pick of the Twins last year from OSU. 'They're having an incredible year, being 50-4, and have the chance to go to the College World Series. I never got to, and I'm kind of jealous about that. But I think it's awesome.'

Davidson is just 35-25, stunning most by winning its regional at Chapel Hill, N.C. It is a program that has just three scholarships.

'I am so proud. It's unreal,' Beeker said. 'I've had a couple of people reach out to me and kind of ask for my take on the situation. Those guys deserve it, especially the way they work on the field and in the classroom, with the limited resources they have. It's great to see them get this recognition for the wonderful season they've had, regardless of how it ends.'

FORMER HAWKEYE RETURNS WITH FLOURISH

Former University of Iowa pitcher Blake Hickman has made his first two professional appearances, and they've been good ones.

Hickman has combined to throw 12 1/3 innings in those starts and allowed nine hits and one earned run.

Hickman was a seventh-round draft pick of the Chicago White Sox in 2015 but had Tommy John elbow surgery shortly after signing and missed roughly two full years recovering. He's obviously healthy now.

KERNELS ADD SANDERS TO ROSTER

The Cedar Rapids Kernels added left-handed pitcher Evan Sanders to their active roster prior to Saturday night's game against Burlington.

Sanders had been in extended spring training after signing a contract as a non-drafted free agent in early March.

Sanders pitched two years of junior-college baseball, then a year at Division II Southeastern Oklahoma State, completing his collegiate career last year at D-II Arkansas-Fort Smith, where he went 8-4 with a 3.24 ERA in 13 starts.

MLB DRAFT THIS WEEK

The 2017 Major League Baseball Draft is Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

The first round will be conducted Monday, with rounds 2-20 Tuesday and 21-40 Wednesday.

The Minnesota Twins have the first-overall pick.

The only Iowan in the top 100 overall, according to Baseball America, is Iowa Western Community College pitcher Daniel Tillo.

HOW THEY'RE DOING

Joel Booker (University of Iowa) — Was named this week to the South Atlantic League All-Star Game. Outfielder hitting .296 in 55 games for low-A Kannapolis (White Sox), with two homers and 24 RBIs.

Matt Dermody (University of Iowa) — Relief pitcher is 5-0 in 21 games with a 4.21 earned run average for Triple-A Buffalo (Blue Jays).

Derrick Loveless (Solon) — Outfielder has goosed his average to .271 in 24 games at Double-A New Hampshire (Blue Jays). That includes five doubles in 70 at-bats.

Tyler Peyton (University of Iowa) — Pitcher has thrown well in five games at low-A South Bend (Cubs), posting 2-0 record and 2.55 ERA. Allowed 13 hits and struck out 18 in 17 2/3 innings.

A.J. Puk (Cedar Rapids Washington) — The week began with a 12-strikeout performance over 6 2/3 innings in a game for high-A Stockton (Athletics) and ended by allowing four earned runs over three innings in another start. Lefty first-rounder is 4-4 with a 3.98 ERA in 13 appearances, 10 starts. Has 87 strikeouts in 54 1/3 innings.

Scott Schebler (Cedar Rapids Prairie) — Cincinnati Reds outfielder missed three games with a minor shoulder injury but connected on home run No. 17 upon his return to the lineup. Hitting .244 in 56 games, with 31 RBIs.

Eric Toole (University of Iowa) — Outfielder was released Friday by the Colorado Rockies. Hit .224 in 19 games this season for low-A Asheville and .265 in 83 games in his three-year career.

Jake Yacinich (University of Iowa) — Shortstop has hits in five of his last six games for high-A Inland Empire (Angels) to boost his batting average to .254

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