Former Diamond 'Dogs Ward, Lalli Tearing Up Minors In 2008
May 06, 2008 | Baseball
BOILING SPRINGS – Former Gardner-Webb Diamond ‘Dogs
Zach Ward and Blake Lalli are having tremendous seasons in the
minor leagues in 2008, posting strong numbers against top
competition.
Ward is starring out of the bullpen for the Minnesota Twins' Double
A affiliate, the New Britian (Conn.) Rock Cats, while Lalli is
slugging away for the Chicago Cubs' High Class A affiliate, the
Daytona (Fla.) Cubs.
Ward, a 6-foot-3, 250-pound righty, is 1-0 with a 0.51 ERA in 11
relief appearances in Connecticut. The Kannapolis, N.C., native has
fanned 16 batters in 17.2 innings of work and has allowed just one
earned run and a .175 opponents batting average this season.
The hard-throwing Ward has also posted a 3:1 ground ball to fly
ball ratio, which has been one of his calling cards since leading
minor league baseball in ground outs as a rookie in 2006.
Ward pitched at Gardner-Webb from 2003-2005, and won 17 games in
those three seasons – which ranks third among right handers in
GWU history. Ward is the Bulldogs' strikeout king, holding records
for single season strikeouts (127, 2005), single season strikeouts
per nine innings (12.04, 2004) and career strikeouts (284).
The former A.L. Brown (N.C.) High star is also the last GWU player
to hurl a no-hitter. Ward worked a complete-game no-hitter against
the University of Akron in February 2005, striking out 12 in a
dominant performance. Ward didn't allow a hit through his first
16.1 innings of work to start the 2005 season.
Lalli, a 6-foot-1, 210-pound infielder/catcher, was promoted to
Daytona on April 24, and has taken the move up with ease. The
Gibsonia, Pa., native has hit safely in 10 of the 11 games he has
played since the promotion, batting a sizzling .375 with 15 hits,
three doubles and four RBI for the Cubs.
On May 2 against the St. Lucie Mets, Lalli started at first base
and went 3-for-5 with two doubles and a pair of RBI. He then
reverted back to a role he relished at Gardner-Webb, hitting the
mound in relief to pitch a scoreless ninth inning. The young
slugger is batting .326 overall this season, which includes 46 at
bats for Class A Peoria (Ill.) of the Midwest League.
Lalli played at Gardner-Webb from 2002-2006, and ended his career
as the Diamond ‘Dogs career leader in hits (290), doubles (70)
and at bats (853). He batted .340 for his career, and added 154
RBI, 27 home runs and 155 runs scored – which also rank among
the career top-4 in GWU history.
