TYLER MATTOX PLAYING THIS SUMMER WITH THE SANTA BARBARA FORESTERS OF THE CALIFORNIA COLLEGIATE BASEBALL LEAGUE

        SANTA BARBARA, California – Arkansas Tech righthanded pitcher Tyler Mattox (Conway, Ark.) has a busy summer of baseball planned as he will be playing this summer for the Santa Barbara Foresters of the California Collegiate Summer Baseball League.

The Foresters, which were founded in 1991, have appeared in the NBC (National Baseball Congress) World Series in Wichita, Kan., every year since 1993 and have finished in the top four every year since 2003, including winning the National Championship in 2006 and were national runners-up in 2003 and 2005.

“This is an exciting opportunity for Tyler, to be able to play one of the premier summer baseball teams in the country,” Wonder Boys Head Coach Billy Goss said.

Mattox, who will be a senior this fall, recently completed his first season with the Wonder Boys after transferring from Conners State [OK] College. In his first season at Tech, Mattox compiled a 3-2 record and a 5.09 earned run average. On the season, he made 11 appearances and 11 starts and in 46 innings, he allowed 50 hits, 31 runs, while walking 29 and striking out 33. He had one complete game and opposing hitters batted .275 against Mattox. In GSC play, Mattox went 1-1 with a 5.95 ERA. He made four starts and in 19.2 innings of work, Mattox allowed 16 hits and 13 earned runs, while walking 12 and striking out 16.

The Foresters, who begin its season on June 7 with a 6:30 p.m. CST home game against Urban Academy, finished last season with a 48-10 overall record and a 19-5 mark in the CCL. In addition to its regular season schedule this season, the team will play an unprecedented three-game series from June 20-23 with the Cuban National Team in Havana, Cuba. The Cuban National Team will take part in this summer’s Olympic Games in Beijing, China. 

According to the Foresters website, more than 170 former players have signed professional contracts and more than 20 have gone on to play in the Major Leagues. Current MLB regulars Matt Garza (Tampa Bay Rays pitcher), James Shields (Tampa Bay Rays pitcher), Ryan Spilborghs (Colorado Rockies outfielder), Kevin Frandsen (San Francisco Giants second baseman) and Brian Bannister (Kansas City Royals pitcher), among others played summer ball for the Foresters. In addition to those players, current Tech pitching coach Wes McCrotty played for the Foresters in 2000. That season, McCrotty was named the team’s Most Valuable Pitcher.  

 -- Tech Athletics --