Sports
Local Slugger Heads to College Home Run Derby
Daniel Aldrich will attempt to defend his 2011 Home Run Derby title.
College of Charleston slugger and Mount Pleasant native Daniel Aldrich will be returning to Omaha next week to defend his 2011 title in the 2012 TD Ameritrade College Home Run Derby.
First pitch will be at 8:30 p.m. ET on July 3, from TD Ameritrade Park, home of the College World Series.
Last season, Aldrich won the Derby with a dominating performance, hitting 10 home runs in the first two rounds before defeating Georgia Southern’s Victor Roache 4-2 in the final round.
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Aldrich finished the 2012 season on a tear, hitting .372 in the last 23 regular-season games with eight home runs, four triples and 25 RBI for a slugging percentage of .809. He was named the SoCon Player of the Week twice, while hitting three homers in a win at Western Carolina (4/27) and the game-winning single in the 12th inning to defeat Coastal Carolina (5/15).
A preseason First Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball and the NCBWA, Aldrich hit home runs in wins over South Carolina, Clemson and Coastal Carolina.
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Read more about Daniel Aldrich.
Aldrich was named to the Gainesville All-Regional Team after hitting .417 with two doubles and a home run in three NCAA games. He finished the 2012 season with 11 home runs and a team-best 46 RBI, batting .287 and slugging .574.
Joining Aldrich in Omaha for this year’s competition will be South Carolina’s LB Dantzler (10 HRs), Virginia Tech’s Tyler Horan (15 HRs), Georgia Tech’s Daniel Palka (12 HRs), Virginia’s Derek Fisher (7 HRs), Tennessee Tech’s Zach Stephens (18 HRs), LSU’s Mason Katz (13 HRs) and Fresno State’s Aaron Judge (4 HRs).
Tickets for the 2012 TD Ameritrade College Home Run Derby are $8 for children, $12 for adults, or $35 for a Family Four-Pack. Tickets may be purchased in-person from the CenturyLink Center arena box offices, by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000, or online at www.collegehomerunderby.com. Handling fees will apply to those tickets purchased over the phone or online, but not to those purchased in-person.
This year’s event will be broadcast via tape delay on CBS on Saturday, July 7 at 2 p.m.