Baseball's Mike Olt Wins NECBL Homerun Derby

STORRS, Conn. (July 22, 2008) — University of Connecticut baseball standout, Mike Olt (Branford, Conn.) became the first UConn ball player to win the New England Collegiate Baseball League's (NECBL) Homerun Derby before hitting a two-run blast in the NECBL All-Star game on Sunday, July 20.

Olt, who plays for the Danbury Westerners in the NECBL, posts a .294 batting average in a team-high 31 games played. He currently leads the Westerners with 126 at-bats, 27 runs scored, 37 hits, eight doubles, six homeruns and 30 RBIs. Entering his sophomore year at UConn, Olt has led the Westerners with a .516 slugging percentage and a .348 on-base percentage, while also picking up 41 putouts and 78 assists.

After his outstanding showcase on Sunday, Olt was named Co-Player of the Week with Newport Gulls' Alex Gregory, a junior infielder from Radford University and Great Falls, Va. During the week's play, Olt batted .429 with 12 hits including two doubles, three homeruns and 13 RBIs prior to Sunday's All-Star festivities.

The All-Star game, held at Fuessenich Park in Torrington, Conn., featured a two-run homerun by Olt, scoring what would be the eventual winning run as the Southern All-Stars defeated the Northern All-Stars 5-2.

In the NECBL Homerun Derby, Olt beat out Keene's Danny Petro. The East Tennessee State catcher fell to Olt in the final round of competition. Olt hit a total of 11 homeruns in the three round, 18-out derby.

-UCONN-