July 12th Top 5 Hitters/Pitchers in the Northwoods League
Welcome to the weekly Top 5 presented by Northwoods League correspondent Bradley Smart from the blog Smart on Sports.
The weekly top five hitters/pitchers rankings have come out, and the Madison Mallards and the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters both grab two. No other teams repeat, while Wisconsin Rapids OF Donnie Dewees grabs the top hitter spot and Waterloo’s Adam Dian takes the top pitcher spot.
Hitters
A potent group of hitters make up the rankings, from the league leader in home runs to the league leader in doubles. However, most of this ranking is made up from the North division, but the lone South player ranks first – Donnie Dewees from Wisconsin Rapids.
1. Donnie Dewees, OF, Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
Dewees, a freshman from North Florida, has taken the Northwoods League by storm, with a .336 batting average, nine home runs and 16 steals. He’s boasted signs of power, speed and hitting for contact and has been a pain for opposing pitchers to have to deal with. Dewees also leads the league in runs scored with 34, and ranks 8th in RBIs with 31. He’s a threat everywhere, and also can work the walk, as he has 15 to just 13 strikeouts over his 34 games.
2. Marc Flores, 1B, Willmar Stingers
The University of Hawaii product can hit, as he holds a .340 batting average with nine home runs and 39 RBI, good for second on the list. Flores has also added 14 doubles and 33 runs, both good for second as well in the league. The senior also leads the league in slugging with a .613 mark and has been a cornerstone for the 26-16 Stingers, who currently sit just six games back from the Waterloo Bucks in the North Division.
3. Keith Curcio, OF, Duluth Huskies
Curcio, a sophomore from Florida Southern doesn’t normally hit for power, but he gets on base. A .450 on base percentage and a .377 average that ranks second in the league gets him into the rankings, as he’s been a key component of the 26-17 Huskies. With 28 runs scored, and 23 RBI, Curcio has also added seven doubles and 19 walks. He also has 23 stolen bases, good for second in the league.
4. Andrew Sohn, SS, Alexandria Blue Anchors
The Blue Anchors may be sitting in last place with a 12-29 record- but there has been a bright spot for them, in the form of the shortstop from Western Michigan who’s hitting .343. Sohn also has 12 doubles, 12 walks and 26 runs scored. He’s also added 4 home runs and 26 RBI as well as swiping 19 bases. His best game so far was a 4 for 5 effort against Willmar where he added a double and a home run, as well as four RBI and three runs scored, leading the charge for a narrow,10-9 comeback win.
5. Adam Martin, C, St. Cloud Rox
The 6’3, 225 pound senior from Western Carolina University has been terrifying pitchers across the Northwoods League this entire season, as he leads the league in home runs with 10 and also boasts a .320 batting average. He also leads the league in doubles with 16. Martin has scored 30 runs and knocked in 35 as well for the Rox, who are currently sitting five games under .500 and 13.5 back in the standings.
Honorable Mention: Chesny Young, Waterloo Bucks; Jason Vosler, Thunder Bay Border Cats; Drew Weeks, Madison Mallards
Pitchers:
The Madison Mallards snag two of the top five pitchers, and a third in the honorable mention section, but the top sport belongs to the top team- Adam Dian and the 32-10 Waterloo Bucks.
1. Adam Dian, RP, Waterloo Bucks
Dian has been incredible out of the bullpen for the North Division-leading Bucks, as he’s posted a 0.50 earned run average over 15 appearances, going 2-0 with six saves. He’s struck out 34 over 18 innings of work, and has walked just six. He also has a 0.72 WHIP and baffles hitters, who manage a .117 batting average against him. His numbers clearly deserve him the top stop in these rankings.
2. J.P Feyereisen, RP, Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
Feyereisen returns for his second year as a Rafter, and this one is arguably more impressive. Through 17 appearances out of the pen, he’s 3-1 with a league-leading eight saves and has a 0.76 earned run average. Over the 23.2 innings he’s thrown, he has struck out 29 and walked just six. He’s been a key component of the Rafters bullpen that hasn’t blown a save.
3. Cameron Giannini, SP, Mankato MoonDogs
Giannini has been stellar on the mound for Mankato, as he’s the league leader in wins with a 5-1 record and his 1.86 earned run average is good for fourth. He’s made six starts, and has come out of the bullpen once to save the game, and has compiled 43.1 innings pitched. He’s struck out 46 batters, second on the Northwoods leaderboards and has walked just 12 guys. Giannini has been the bright point for a staff that has been struggling, near the bottom of the league in ERA, WHIP and other pitching categories.
4. Sam Forkert, SP/RP, Madison Mallards
Forkert has made 13 appearances (including one no-decision start) for the second-place Madison Mallards out of the pen, and is 3-0 with a 0.85 earned run average over 31.2 innings pitched as well as striking out 31 and walking just seven. He’s also added two saves and has allowed just 14 hits. Opponents are batting just .157 against him and his .760 WHIP is showing how dominant he’s been. He’s been reliable out of the pen and should help the Mallards on their quest for a title.
5. Luke Staub, SP, Madison Mallards
Another Mallard rounds out the Top 5, as Staub has been an ace for Madison. He’s 3-2 with a 1.58 ERA and has struck out 38 batters over 40 innings of work. He’s started seven games, and his two losses were due to poor fielding and mistakes, as he allowed just one earned run in each but picked up two losses. Pitching has been a key to the Mallards success, as Staub and others lead the league in opponent average and are second in WHIP and fourth in ERA.
Honorable Mention(s): Cam Verbeke, Madison Mallards; Jackson Lowery, Wisconsin Woodchucks; Jess Amedee, Mankato MoonDogs
Bradley Smart (@bradleysmart15) is a freshman in high school who is an avid sports fan who also writes about sports. He also has a blog, Smart On Sports where he writes about all kind of sporting news, from baseball to the Super Bowl.
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