May 8, 2008

Fort Wayne, IN - IPFW head baseball coach Billy Gernon has announced the signing of left handed pitcher Jay Hale for the 2009 season.

Hale (5'11"/170 lb./Hagerstown, IN) will join IPFW after playing the past two years at Vincennes University.

The lefty compiled a record of 7-4 this past year with an outstanding earned run average of just 1.91. That figure placed him 15th in the nation in Junior College Division II baseball.  In 61-innings of work, Hale struck out 35 while walking only 19.

Opponents hit just .247 off of Hale, who helped the Trailblazers to an overall mark of 32-19 under first-year head coach Jon Adams. 

"Jay is a left handed pitcher that pounds the strike zone and fields his position extremely well," coach Gernon said. 

"He has command of three pitches and will compete for a spot in our rotation in 2009."

The Mastodons are currently 8-12 in their first season of Summit League play and 12-31-1 overall. IPFW has lost 14 games thus far by two runs or less, including losses in nine one-run ball games. 

"We have walked too many guys this year in critical situations," Gernon added.   

"Jay Hale will help remedy this problem."

~Dons~