The University of Akron Athletics
Davidson Leads Summer Team to Championship
August 13 | Baseball
AKRON, Ohio – Zips senior catcher Kurt
Davidson (North Canton, Ohio/Hoover) capped off another
productive summer by leading the Waynesboro Generals to a Valley
Baseball League (Va.) title last weekend. Davidson, UA's all-time
home runs leader, doubled, walked and drove in a pair of runs in
the championship game while garnering all-league honors for the
second straight season.
Davidson's two-run double keyed a three-run rally by the top-seeded
Generals who broke a 3-all tie with Luray in the eighth inning en
route to a 6-3 victory last Friday.
With a 37-13-1 overall record, the Generals earned a No. 6 ranking nationally
by PGCrosschecker.com, a website devoted to
amateur baseball. Davidson, who hit .307 with 14 doubles, five home
runs and 54 RBI in 53 games, led the circuit in several offensive
categories, including hits (66), RBI and total bases (97). Davidson
became just the third Akron player to receive all-region honors
last spring after leading the Zips in home runs (10), RBI (44) and
total bases (109) in an all-league season.
Here are some other news and notes from the summer:
McNulty Named to All-Star Team
Akron's other All-Mid-American Conference selection Doug
McNulty (Homer City, Pa./Homer-Center) also had an impressive
off-season. McNulty was named to the all-star team in the South
Collegiate Baseball League while batting .295 with seven doubles, a
team-high two triples and 16 RBI in 36 games for the Carolina Sox.
Also, sophomore Brian Kordal (Twinsburg, Ohio//Twinsburg), who
also played for the Carolina Sox, participated in the circuit's
home run derby.
McKinney Continues Professional Career
Former UA pitcher Billy McKinney (Loveland, Ohio/Kings) has made
nine appearances, including a pair of starts, for the Gateway
Grizzlies of the Frontier League yet is still looking for his first
win as a professional. The right-hander is 0-2 with a 5.27 ERA but
has displayed his signature control with 19 strikeouts and just six
walks. During his career with UA, McKinney struck out 175, compared
to 70 free passes.
Zips Active on Stark County Squad
Three-fourths of the 2007 Zips infield and a weekend
starter wrapped up their season with Stark County of the Great
Lakes Summer Collegiate League. Kevin
Haas (Fairfield, Ohio/St. Ignatius) was fourth on the club with
a .271 batting average, Phil Bednar (Monroe Falls, Ohio/Stow/Ball
State) checked in at .265 and Vince
Chiera (Akron, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) hit .367 in limited action.
Right-handed pitcher Frank Turocy (Canfield, Ohio/Canfield) had
a strong summer going 1-0 with a pair of saves to go along with a
.363 ERA. Turocy made seven appearances, including a two
starts.
