Horan Places, Dantzler Competes in National College Home Run Derby
Two NECBL alumni from the summer of 2011-Danbury Westerner Tyler Horan and Laconia Muskrat L.B. Dantzler- were among the eight competitors in the 2012 TD Ameritrade College Home Run Derby. The Derby was held on July 3rd in Omaha, NE, the home of the College World Series.
Fresno State outfielder Aaron Judge, a 6’7” right handed hitter, ultimately won the contest with eight dingers.
Horan finished second with five homers.
Neither Horan’s nor Dantzler’s inclusion in the Derby surprised followers of the NECBL. OF Horan blasted eleven homers and drove in 35 runs, both of which led the League. The Middleboro, Massachusetts native and redshirt sophomore from Virginia Tech also hit .341, falling just six hits shy of winning te NECBL’s Triple Crown.
Dantzler hit .333 with six doubles and three homers in 81 at-bats for Laconia. The infielder from the State College of Florida ultimately slugged .519 in 23 games with the Muskrats.
Horan’s 15 homers ranked third in the ACC this spring. He led Virginia Tech in both RBI and runs scored. Dantzler, who transferred to South Carolina this season, helped to lead the Gamecocks’ to their third straight College World Series final. He hit 10 homers and rapped 15 doubles as an every day starting third baseman for the Gamecocks.
The College of Charleston’s Daniel Aldrich hit as the defending champion. The four other participants were Georgia Tech sophomore Daniel Palka, Virginia freshman Derek Fisher, Tennessee Tech sophomore Zach Stephens and LSU junior Mason Katz.
The Derby was played in front of a crowd of over 22,000 as part of Omaha’s Independence Day celebration.
