Digital Commons @ George Fox University Baseball George Fox University Athletics 2006 2006 Press Release George Fox University Archives Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/athletics_baseball Recommended Citation George Fox University Archives, "2006 Press Release" (2006). Baseball. 20. https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/athletics_baseball/20 This Press Release is brought to you for free and open access by the George Fox University Athletics at Digital Commons @ George Fox University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Baseball by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ George Fox University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. GEoRGE Fox UNIVERSITY SPORTS RELEASE: BASEBALL- Monday, June 5, 2006 Contact: Blair Cash, SID (E-mail) [email protected] (Web) qfubruins.com (0) 503-554-2926 © 503-537-8920 (H) 503-554-8067 (Fax) 503-554-3864 6/22- Bruins' All-American Jones Inks Free Agent Contract with Texas Rangers NEWBERG, Ore. - It took a few days longer than expected and a trans-continental airline flight of 17 hours, but George Fox University All-American Derrick Jones finally got his opportunity to play professional baseball, signing a free agent contract with the American League's Texas Rangers on June 15 and reporting to the Spokane (Wash.) Indians of the Class A Northwest League. Jones was in Europe on one of the university's "Juniors Abroad" trips, a study program that was the final class he needed for graduation, when the major league baseball draft was held on June 6-7. The Bruins' star pitcher and designated hitter, who had been scouted by several teams all season long, followed the draft from an internet cafe in Ireland, but he was not selected in any of the 50 rounds. "I was so disappointed, I turned off my cell phone," admitted Jones. "I just didn't want to talk to anybody." But the Rangers wanted to talk to him. Texas northwest scout Gary McGraw contacted George Fox coach Pat Bailey, who informed him that Jones was in Europe. "We've got a spot for him," said the scout, "but he needs to come back if he wants to play." Bailey relayed the message to Jones' parents in Forest Grove, Ore., who finally were able to reach their son with a message to call home left at his hotel. Jones flew back from Dublin to Seattle on Wednesday, June 14, where he met his father who drove him to Spokane, and he signed the next day. Jones made his professional debut in the Indians' opener, a 10-3 loss to the visiting Salem-Keizer Volcanoes before 7,413 at Avista Stadium, Spokane's largest crowd in 10 years. He worked a 1-2-3 fifth inning before surrendering a walk, a single, and a three-run home run to Adam Witter, the designated hitter's second of the game, in the sixth. Jones was a versatile athlete in his four years at George Fox, playing right field as well as designated hitter and pitcher for the Bruins. He expects to be used exclusively on the mound by the Rangers, however, adding with a laugh, "I think my days as a hitter are over." On the hill, Jones posted a career mark of 22-5 with seven saves, a 3.04 earned run average, and 174 strikeouts in 177.2 innings for the Bruins. He ranks sixth all-time in wins, second in saves, fourth in ERA, tied for sixth in strikeouts, and seventh in innings pitched. At the plate, Jones batted .345 with 181 hits, 46 doubles, 22 home runs, 139 runs batted in, and 139 runs scored. He is sixth all­ time in hits, second in doubles, sixth in home runs, fourth in RBI, and seventh in runs. His slugging percentage of .574 ranks ninth, his 82 walks are third, and he is the Bruins' career leader in sacrifice flies with 11. Jones was a two-time All-Northwest Conference selection. As a junior, he was named NWC Co-Pitcher of the Year as a junior when he went 9-1 with a 2.50 ERA and 73 strikeouts, and went on to earn NCAA Division Ill All-West Region and All-America First Team honors as a utility player with a .377 batting average, 17 doubles, 10 home runs, and 63 RBI. This past season, he was NWC Player of the Year with a 6-3 record on the mound, a 3.29 ERA and 66 strikeouts, while batting .382 with 14 doubles, six home runs, and 42 RBI. He was named Second Team All-West Region as a utility player. The Bruins posted a 132-50 record during Jones' playing career, winning or sharing NWC championships in all four seasons, making three NCAA playoff appearances, and winning the Division Ill World Series in 2004. Jones slugged a seventh-inning solo home run to ice the 2004 title game, a 6-3 win over Eastern Connecticut State University. Jones is the fourth member of the 2004 title team to sign a professional contract, joining pitcher Scott Hyde (New York Mets 2004), catcher Greg Dombek (Colorado Rockies 2004), and shortstop David Peterson (Texas Rangers 2005) as Bruin pros. He is the 19th Bruin to play professional baseball, with Chris Wakeland, who played for the Bruins in 1996 before transferring to Oregon State University, the only George Fox player ever to reach the major leagues with the Detroit Tigers in 2003. George Fox baseball fans who wish to follow Jones throughout the summer may do so through the Spokane Indians' official web site at http://www.spokaneindiansbaseball.com/. GEORGE Fox UNIVERSITY SPORTS RELEASE: BASEBALL- Thursday, May 25, 2006 Contact: Blair Cash, SID (E-mail) [email protected] (Web) gfubruins.com (0) 503-554-2926 © 503-537-8920 (H) 503-554-8067 (Fax) 503-554-3864 5125- ALL-REGION: Bruins Land Five on All-Region Teams with Thunell as First Team Shortstop NEWBERG, Ore. - Shortstop Bo Thunell, after compiling one of the best rookie seasons in George Fox University history, has been named to the 2006 NCAA Division Ill All-West Region First Team as selected by the American Baseball Coaches Association, one of five Bruins to receive All-Region recognition. Joining Thunell in being named All-Region are utility player Derrick Jones, second baseman C.R. Braniff, and right fielder Dan Wentzell on the Second Team, and first baseman Bryan Donohue on the Third Team. Thunell, a freshman from Canyon City, Ore., had big shoes to fill as he replaced All-America shortstop David Peterson, but he was up to the task, batting .417 with a team-high and GFU freshman-record 7 home runs. He also led the Bruins in doubles (15), RBI (48), total bases (106), slugging pet. (.650), tied for the lead in sacrifice flies (4), and was second in hits (68) while scoring 33 runs. He was the Northwest Conference leader in RBI and slugging pet. while ranking second in doubles, third in batting, and fifth in home runs. In NCAA national slats, he was the third-toughest in the nation to strike out, fanning only three times in 163 at bats, once every 54.3 trips to the plate. In the field, he tied for fourth in the NWC in assists (111 ). Thunell was the only freshman on the All-Region First Team, which also included designated hitter Lamonte Toney and second baseman Ray Stokes of California State-East Bay; catcher Aaron Crais of Texas Lutheran; first baseman Bobby Schleizer and outfielder Dennis Kelly of Austin; third baseman Peter Aiello and pitcher Tom Vessella of Whittier; outfielder Jake Bell and pitcher Jonathan Russell of Mississippi College; outfielder Brian Brubaker and pitchers Devin Drag and Buddy Klovstad of West winner Chapman; outfielder Nick Vera of Trinity; and utility player Greg Erickson of McMunry. Crais was named West Region Hitter of the Year and Klovstad was Pitcher of the Year. Jones, a senior from Forest Grove, Ore., repeated as an All-Region selection, although he was First Team last year and went on to earn First Team All-America honors. A sore left wrist (not on his right-hand pitching side) incurred in the Bruins' next-to-last regular season series at Cal State-East Bay hampered his swing for the final month of the season, so his offensive numbers were down slightly, but he still hit .364 with 14 doubles, 6 home runs, 42 RBI, 43 runs scored, and a .601 slugging pet. He was 10th in the NWC in batting, second in walks (26), third in RBI, runs, and doubles, fifth in slugging pet., and sixth in home runs. As a pitcher, Jones went 6-3 with a 3.21 earned run average and 70 strikeouts in 73 innings. He was the NWC leader in strikeouts and ranked second in ERA, third in lowest opponents' batting average (.240), and tied for fifth in wins. His combined efforts at the plate and on the hill earned him Northwest Conference Player of the Year honors. Braniff, a senior from Hillsboro, Ore., was also a repeat pick for All-Region, having earned Second Team honors a year ago. He batted .367 with 11 doubles, 31 RBI, 88 total bases, a team-leading 53 runs scored, and tied for the team lead with 14 stolen bases. He led the NWC in runs, hits (73), at bats (199), total plate appearances (221), and ranked third in steals, total bases, and triples (2, tie). He tied for fourth in sacrifice bunts (7), giving him 32 for his career, now the fourth-highest total in Division Ill history. He was the fifth-toughest to strike out nationally, whiffing four times in 199 at bats, once every 49.8 times up.