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Ex-Tornado creeps closer to majors

By Times Staff
Published June 4, 2006

Mike Eylward has always wanted to be a major-league baseball player. On May5, the 2001 44th-round Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pick moved one step closer to fulfilling his dream when he was promoted to Triple-A Salt Lake.

Eylward (Clearwater/USF) spent two years at Class-A Cedar Rapids and two more with the Double-A Arkansas Travelers before being called up to join the Bees.

"I was really excited when I got the call," said Eylward, 26. "It's something we're all always striving for - to move up to the highest level.

"Playing professionally has definitely been a dream of mine since I was a little-leaguer. I always watched baseball on TV and when I had an opportunity to play professionally after my four years at South Florida, it was like a dream come true."

The right-hander has played either first or third since his high school days with the Tornadoes. He said he is happy in either spot, as long as he's on the field.

"I believe it's been my offense that's kept me around," Eylward said. "I love to hit, and I work hard at it. I love to be in the batter's box and have a natural swing, although I work hard at hitting.

"It's important to be positive and believe in yourself when you're at the plate. You have to believe you're going to get a hit each time you get in the box."

While with the Travelers, Eylward was named Texas League Player of the Week after hitting .538 with five home runs, collecting 14 RBIs and scoring eight on a nine-game road trip.

The day of his promotion to Triple A, Eylward hit his third home run in two games for the Travelers against the San Antonio Missions, the Seattle Mariners' affiliate.

"It's a long season and there's a lot of uncertainty that comes with the job," Eylward said. "You just have to put that aside and do the best you can. I have a lot of support from my wife, Kristin , who I met in Cedar Rapids. You have to realize that you have to work at every level. I watch a lot of the guys that are at the level I want to be to see what they're doing to be there. One day, I hope to be there, too."

Eylward is hitting .241 in 20 games with Salt Lake, and connected for three hits in a 15-14 win over the Mariners affiliate Tacoma Rainiers last week.

MORE BASEBALL: It was a homecoming for freshmen Dale Brannon (St. Petersburg), Scott Beckwith (Osceola) and Erik Turgeon (Dunedin) when Connecticut competed in the Big East Tournament in Clearwater last month.

In UConn's three games, second baseman Brannon recorded three hits, an RBI and a run scored. On the season, he hit .268 and held a .977 fielding percentage. Beckwith had a .207 average in 15 games. Turgeon played third and made six appearances on the mound. He hit .327 and led the Huskies in on-base percentage (.450).

USF freshman Addison Maruszak (St. Petersburg Catholic) was named Big East Rookie of the Year. The shortstop hit .287 and had 29 runs, 26 RBIs, 14 doubles, a triple and a home run.

In Eckerd's final three games, junior Grant Massie (Seminole) recorded three home runs, a triple and seven RBIs against Nova Southeastern.

On the season, the junior led the Tritons in home runs (nine), was second in RBIs (33) and third in batting average (.296).

Junior catcher Brandon Diaz (Clearwater Central Catholic) led North Florida in home runs (seven), slugging percentage (.604) and fielding percentage (.982). Diaz hit .301 and collected 34 RBIs.

Junior left-hander Ben Pincus (Boca Ciega/Tennessee Tech) made two relief appearances for North Florida.

Sophomore leftfielder Casey Allen (Gibbs) started all 52 games for Savannah College of Art and Design. With an average of .318, Allen tied for second on the team in runs scored (31) and tied for fourth in hits (47) and RBIs (22).

This summer, Allen is playing in the Sandlot Wood Bat League in Nashville, Tenn.

SOFTBALL: Freshman Dani Hofer (Palm Harbor University) collected a 16-5 pitching record for No.15 LSU. The right-hander had 24 starts, posted 159 strikeouts and had a 2.01 ERA.

In last month's NCAA Super Regional contest with No.2 Arizona, Hofer faced 14 batters in the third and determining game that Arizona won 14-5.

Freshman Allison Kidman (Countryside) played in 25 games for Michigan, starting 14. No.13 Michigan lost in consecutive games to No.5 Tennessee in a super regional.

Right-hander Bree Spence (Countryside) collected USF's second-best ERA (1.37) and posted a 21-10 record.

In the No.25 Bulls' first-ever super regional contest, the sophomore hurled six innings against No.1 UCLA, allowing five hits and two earned runs in a 2-0 loss. In the second game, Spence pitched 11/3 innings in a 3-1 loss.

Jenni Brandon (Palm Harbor University) was a freshman outfielder for Florida Gulf Coast.

TRACK AND FIELD: Georgia Tech junior Ashlee Kidd (St. Petersburg) qualified for next month's NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Sacramento, Calif. Kidd ran a personal-best time of 51.58 seconds in the 400-meter dash for a third-place finish at last month's NCAA East Region Meet to earn a fourth-place national ranking.

The three-time All-American runs a leg of the 4x100 meter relay team that will compete at nationals June 7-10.

Belmont sophomore Clint Hamm (Indian Rocks Christian) ran an indoor season-best time of 51.55 in the 400-meter dash and an outdoor season-best 48.97.

Sophomore Sam Secord (St. Petersburg Catholic) posted a second-best indoor team time of 1:58.47 for Auburn in the 800 meters and a second-best 1:58.23 in the outdoor.

--News for this column may be faxed to Nancy Morgan,796-5559; e-mailed to namorgan46@msn.com or sent to 710 Court St., Clearwater, FL 33756. Please include a phone number.

[Last modified June 4, 2006, 01:17:19]