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The Smolin Watch: Former Golden Bear Pitcher Earns First Minor League Victory
Posted August 6, 2007
Former Western New England College pitcher Eric Smolin hurled two scoreless innings of relief to gain his first professional baseball victory after the Gulf Coast League (GCL) Phillies defeated the GCL Blue Jays 3-2 on August 9.
With the temperature in the mid-90s in Dunedin, FL, Smolin took over in the fifth inning and allowed only one hit with a strikeout to even his record at 1-1. Smolin, who was pitching for the first time since July 27, has appeared in six games covering 6 2/3 innings since signing a free agent contract in June.
He will return to the College in September to complete his field work experience while serving as a teacher assistant in the Sport Management Department. Western New England College sport management professors Sharianne Walker and Dan Covell attended the August 9 game to cheer on the Golden Bears’ All-American. The Phillies are fourth in the GCL North Division with a 21-23 record. The Blue Jays stand in second with a 24-19 mark.
Smolin, who didn’t pitch for five weeks following the end of the Golden Bears’ season in May, is enjoying his rookie experience. “My teammates remind me a lot of Western New England College,” he says. “They’re a good group of guys who like to have fun. There isn’t all that much difference in our ages and all of us are trying to do well.”
Western New England University is a private, independent, coeducational institution founded in 1919. Located on an attractive 215-acre suburban campus in Springfield, Massachusetts, Western New England University serves 3,700 students, including 2,550 full-time undergraduate students. Undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs are offered through Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business, Engineering, and Pharmacy, and School of Law.
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