COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Former Tennessee Tech pitcher Zac Cole has been added to the roster of the Amarillo Dillas, the defending champions of the United League of Basebal, a six-team league across the state of Texas. The opening of the 2010 ULB regular season is just a couple of weeks away.
A 6-foot-4, 197-pound right-hander, Cole is a native of Crystal
River, Fla., who pitched for coach Matt Bragga's TTU teams during
the 2006 and 2007 seasons. After two years at Palm Beach (Fla.)
Community College, Cole burst onto the scene for the Golden Eagles
by leading the team with a 3.68 ERA in 12 appearances in 2006. Over
his two years he pitched in 28 games, including 15 in relief
appearances and 13 as a starter.
Cole originally signed as an undrafted free agent with the
Baltimore Orioles in 2007 where he spent one season in their chain
pitching in the Gulf Coast League.
As a rookie, he appeared in nine games without posting a decision.
He earned two saves and a 5.84 earned run average in 12.1 innings
of relief work. He was released by Baltimore following the 2007
season and signed with Traverse City Beach Bums of the Frontier
League where he relieved in six games posting an earned run average
of 10.13 in 5.1 innings of work out of the bullpen.
Cole was actually slated to join the Dillas last year but his
services were not available due to sustaining a season-ending
injury to his pitching hand. Although he hasn’t pitched in
well over a year in a competitive setting, Dillas manager Brady
Bogart doesn’t lend much to the injury and is confident that
Cole's abilities will remain unchanged.
“Zach has fully recovered from his injuries that kept him
out last season”, Bogart said. “We expect him to show
up for camp in-shape and ready to compete for a spot in the
bullpen. Likewise, I don’t put much stock into his numbers
from 2008 because he is a capable reliever who can help us in the
late innings”.
ULB Opening Day 2010 is Thursday, May 27 when the Dillas travel to
San Angelo for a two-game series against the Colts. The reigning
United League Champions, the Dillas will open their home schedule
Saturday, May 29, when the Colts follow them back to Amarillo to
play a four-game series.
A true "Texas league," the ULB includes six tems from the Lone
Star state with the Coastal Bend Thunder, Edinboro Roadrunenrs,
Laredo Broncos, Rio Grande Valley Whitewings and San Angelo Colts,
in addition to the Amarillo Dillas.
