Gene's Blog: Past, present, future Tommies in news

June 26, 2012

Here’s an update on some past, present and future Tommies making news in the sports world.

Fritz Waldvogel isn’t the only Tommie competing in Europe. Kris Edwards, an All-Midwest Region pitcher for St. Thomas in 2011, is playing in Austria this summer with the Attnang-Puchheim Athletics.

Edwards had an 18-strikeout game in May for the Athletics, who sit in first place in the eight-team Austrian League with a 25-5 record. He’s also playing shortstop and third base when not on the mound and is swinging the bat, too, as a lefthanded hitter.

Edwards, 26, an Edina High grad, started his college career at UW-Whitewater before suffering arm troubles. He recovered from Tommy John surgery and had three strong seasons with the Tommies. He contributed to UST's 2009 national championship team, and ranked among the Division III earned-run average leaders in 2010.

He pitched well in summer 2010 with Green Bay of the Northwoods League. He received All-Region and All-MIAC honors in 2011 as a senior for the Toms. He pitched briefly in summer 2011 with the St. Paul Saints.

For lovers of foreign films without subtitles, click here for a German video story on Edwards and his team. The highlights include Kris stealing a base then scoring on a single, and later slapping a single to right field:

http://www.btv.cc/system/web/video.aspx?detailonr=223321432&menuonr=222860837

 

FB Sends 9

The 2012 St. Thomas football recruiting class has 16 players chosen to play in various all-star games. That includes nine in-state recruits preparing for Saturday’s Minnesota Shrine Bowl All-Star Game in St. Cloud. Kickoff is 1 p.m.

The 44-man North team includes four future Tommies:

--WR Patrick Flaherty of Grand Rapids;

--OL David Simmet of Hill-Murray;

--DE Kit Snyder of Wayzata;

--RB Esten Weber of Dawson-Boyd.

The 44-man South roster includes five UST commits:

--WR Trace Adams of Hutchinson;

--DL Brett Bremer of Hopkins;

--OL Connor Longhenry of Glencoe-Silver Lake;

--LB Tim McClanahan of Cretin-Derham Hall;

--LB T.J. Patrias of Holy Angels.

Three Tommie recruits were among 24 seniors voted Minnesota first-team all-staters: Snyder, McClanahan and punter/PK Paul Graupner of Benilde-St. Margaret’s.

  

Fritz Adds to Stats

Fritz Waldvogel made it 10 touchdowns in 10 quarters with the Schwabisch Hall Unicorns as he caught two TD passes, both from 56 yards, in Saturday’s 59-21 victory over the Munich Cowboys in the German Football League.

Waldvogel had 173 all-purpose yards on nine touches. He played just two quarters as the Unicorns built a 41-0 halftime lead.

Since Waldvogel joined Schwabish Hall just after Memorial Day, they are 3-0 and averaging 56.3 ppg.

Schuld a Saint

Former St. Thomas All-American pitcher Matt Schuld pitched well Sunday in his debut with the St. Paul Saints. Schuld allowed two runs, six hits, two walks and fanned two in five innings in the Saints’ 8-0 loss to Sioux Falls.

Schuld signed with the Minnesota Twins as a free agent in 2010 after posting a 30-5 career record with the Tommies. In two seasons in the Twins’ organization in Rookie League and Class A and AA, he was 8-4 with a 4.90 ERA with four saves and 101 strikeouts in 149 innings. He was injured this spring and released in spring training.

Schuld is among 12 different St. Thomas baseball alums in the last 16 years to play in a minor-league organization, or sign with the Northern or Independent League. He’s the sixth Tommie grad to pitch for the Saints as he follows Chris Olean (2001), Brian Whinnery (2006, 2007, 2008), Lonnie Robinson (2008, 2009), Brandon Stone (2010) and Edwards (2011).

Did You Know?

--Brady Beeson’s Tri-City (Wash.) Fever team rallied to post a 52-42 home win over the Colorado Ice on Saturday in round one of the Indoor Football League playoffs. The Fever (12-2) play next weekend in the semifinals. Beeson contributed three PAT kicks and executed a key on-side kick that set up a Fever TD in the final 30 seconds of the first half.

--Another former St. Thomas football standout, All-Region linebacker Tommy Becker, suffered a season-ending knee injury with the IFL’s Wichita Wild. Becker had two sacks and 36 tackles in six games before being sidelined.

--Dylan Thomas had another solid pitching outing last week in the Northwoods League. His Duluth Huskies lost 3-1 to Mankato, but Thomas started and pitched five innings. He allowed one earned run, four hits and three walks and struck out four. He lowered his ERA to 2.20.

--Steve Maher’s former prep teammate at Holy Angels, Lucas Long, was a freshman pitcher this season for the Arizona Wildcats, who won the Division I College World Series.

--Former St. Thomas softball All-America Missy Bruggeman found success in her first season as head coach at Division II Southwest Minnesota State. With an 18-player roster that included 13 freshmen and sophomores, Bruggeman guided the Mustangs to a 21-21 softball record.