Matt Wright Makes Debut in Cape Cod League With Cotuit Kettleers

June 18, 2007

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - Shippensburg baseball sophomore Matt Wright (McClure/Mid-West) made his Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) debut on Sunday, pitching for the Cotuit Kettleers in the team’s 9-8 victory over the Hyannis Mets.

Wright, the only non-Division I player on the Kettleers’ roster and one of just three in the entire league, did not factor in the decision. He totaled five strikeouts in four innings of work while allowing just three hits and two earned runs.

When he left the game after the fourth inning, Cotuit trailed 2-1, but in the bottom of the fifth, the Kettleers scored eight runs to take a 9-3 lead before holding on for a one-run victory.

To follow Wright's performance this season, please visit the Cotuit Kettleers web site at http://www.kettleers.org or the CCBL web site at http://www.capecodbaseball.org. Fans can also find out when Wright will make his next start by going to league web site and clicking on Teams. From there, click on Stats 2007 and then Pitchers: Next 3 Days.

The CCBL, located on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, features some of the top college players in the nation and is considered the premier collegiate baseball summer league in the country. Like all summer collegiate leagues, CCBL players are unpaid in order to maintain NCAA eligibility.

Beginning its 123rd season in 2007, the 10-team Cape League originated in 1885 with individual town teams and was reorganized into the CCBL in 1923. A total of 198 former Cape Leaguers currently perform in the major leagues and as of opening day 2007, one out of every seven major league players came out of the CCBL.

In two seasons with the Red Raiders, Wright has been named as an all-american, earned five all-region first team selections and has been a two-time All-PSAC Western Division First Team selection. He has also earned two pitcher of the year awards in addition to being named PSAC Western Division Rookie of the Year in 2006.

In 2007, Wright led the PSAC in strikeouts with 99 which was the third-highest single-season total in school history. He also had a 6-3 record with one save and a 2.08 ERA while making 11 starts, totaling 78.0 innings and six complete games.

Wright was named PSAC Western Division Pitcher of the Year and North Atlantic Region Pitcher of the Year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA).

Under first-year head coach Matt Jones, Shippensburg went 28-24 overall en route to winning its first PSAC championship since 2003. The Red Raiders also made their first NCAA North Atlantic Region Championship appearance since 2004.

- Red Raider Baseball -