June 29, 2010
ATLANTA – Georgia Tech sophomore Matt Skole is one of eight collegiate baseball sluggers who will compete in the inaugural TD AMERITRADE College Home Run Derby at Omaha’s Rosenblatt Stadium on Wednesday, July 7 at 8:30 p.m. EDT. CBS will air the event nationwide on Sunday, July 11 from 1:00-2:00 p.m. EDT.
The collegiate home run hitting competition will feature eight of the nation’s premier power hitters facing off in an elimination-style format. Competitors were selected from a pool of eligible players that have ranked among the nation’s home run leaders during the 2010 college baseball season.
Skole belted 20 home runs during the 2010 season, becoming just the 12th player in Georgia Tech history to hit 20 home runs in a season. The Tech third baseman helped the Yellow Jackets to a school-record 122 round-trippers, and was named to the All-ACC First Team after hitting .335 with 63 RBI. His 20 home runs ranked in the top-25 in the nation, and tied for the third-most in the ACC. In just two seasons on the Flats, Skole has amassed 37 home runs — tying for the 11th most on the school’s all-time list.
Georgia Tech assistant coach Bryan Prince will serve as Skole’s pitcher.
Fresno State’s Jordan Ribera and Siena’s Dan Paolini headline the list of other sluggers who will compete in the event.
Ribera led the nation in 2010 with 27 regular-season blasts while hitting .343 in 63 games as a junior first baseman for Fresno State. He also hit memorable home runs against Rice University and the University of Georgia during Fresno State’s improbable national championship run in the 2008 College World Series.
Paolini, a sophomore second baseman, finished the 2010 season with 26 dingers, including four multi-homer games. The 2010 Collegiate Baseball Second-Team All-American and 2009 MAAC Rookie of the Year is playing for the Chatham A’s in the prestigious Cape Cod League this summer.
Other participants include LSU senior infielder Matt Gaudet and Troy senior catcher Steven Felix. Two more players will be announced to complete the field of eight before Wednesday’s competition.
Skole is playing for the Falmouth Commodores in the prestigious Cape Cod League this summer.
General admission tickets for the 2010 TD AMERITRADE College Home Run Derby will cost $5 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets visit www.ticketmaster.com .
In 2011, the TD AMERITRADE College Home Run Derby will move to TD AMERITRADE Park Omaha, Omaha’s new downtown baseball stadium, which is currently under construction.
More information about the event, including participating players and other notable participants, will be released in the days leading up to the event.
