OMAHA, Neb. – Georgia Tech baseball’s Kyle McCann has been selected to the roster for the ninth annual Rocket Mortgage by Quicken Loans College Home Run Derby at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha in Omaha, Neb. on Saturday, June 30, Intersport announced this week. McCann is one of six men’s college baseball players selected for the event that will air live on ESPN2 at 8 p.m. ET. He was invited to take part in the College Home Run Derby after being recognized as one of the top power hitters in college baseball.
Named to the all-ACC third team as a sophomore this past season, McCann hit .300 with 15 home runs, a triple, 10 doubles and 37 walks. His 15 home runs were second on the team, which also included three grand slams, and was tied for fifth overall in the Atlantic Coast Conference. McCann, who drove in 45 RBIs, was also second on the team and among the ACC leaders in slugging percentage at .600 on the season.
His power was on full display in the second weekend of the season, as the power-hitting lefty hit three home runs in the second game of the doubleheader versus Dartmouth on Feb. 24, becoming just the 12th player in Georgia Tech history to hit three home runs in a single game. He also hit two home runs in the road win at Mercer on April 10 and two home runs in the home win over Kennesaw State on April 18.
McCann is the first Yellow Jacket selected to compete in the College Home Run Derby since Kel Johnson reached the semifinals after belting a then Home Run Derby record 17 homers in the first round in July 2015.
The College Home Run Derby includes three rounds of play: Round 1 featuring all contestants, Round 2 featuring the hitters with the top four scores after Round 1, and Round 3 featuring the top two sluggers after Round 2.
Contestants in each round will have a timed period of four minutes to hit as many home runs as they can, rather than the traditional 10-out method. Once the timed period concludes, contestants will have one final opportunity to hit a home run with the “Bonus Ball.” If successful, two additional home runs will be added to the contestant’s total score.
Individual tickets for the 2018 Rocket Mortgage by Quicken Loans College Home Run Derby & Omaha World-Herald Fireworks are $8 for children (ages 3-12), $12 for adults, or a `Family Four-Pack’ for $36, and are now on sale. Tickets may be purchased in-person from theCenturyLink Center Omaha box office, by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000, or online at Ticketmaster.com. Service fees will apply to those tickets purchased over the phone or online, but not to those purchased in-person. For groups of 20 or more, visit http://www.collegehomerunderby.com .
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