Thursday, July 08, 2010

OMAHA, Neb. – Atlantic Sun Player of the Year Paul Hoilman mashed 12 home runs in the final to win the inaugural TD Ameritrade College Home Run Derby at Omaha’s Rosenblatt Stadium on Wednesday.

The event will be aired nationwide Sunday at 1 p.m. on CBS, and the ETSU Department of Intercollegiate Athletics will host an official “watch” party at Fanatics Restaurant inside the Doubletree Hotel in Johnson City. Drink and food specials will be available at the event.

“This was just an unbelievable event,” said ETSU head coach Tony Skole. “The atmosphere was electric and Paul was simply outstanding. He put on quite a show for the people of Omaha. The eyes of college baseball were on him and he rose to the occasion.”

Hoilman, who was pitched to by Skole, hit 12 home runs in the final round to take the title in dominating fashion over Fresno State’s Jordan Ribera and Skole’s nephew Matt Skole of Georgia Tech. Ribera was only able to hit one homer in the final round while Skole did not hit any. The three players were the only ones in the field to hit more than two home runs before the 10-out limit.

"It was just an unbelievable experience to able to compete at Rosenblatt Stadium," said Hoilman. "There were some unbelievable players there competing that I have met along the way and winning the event was just icing on the cake."

In the final round, Hoilman hit seven home runs in his first 11 swings before recorded five straight outs. He kept the show going however as he hit the next five balls out of the park to reach his final total of 12.