June 7, 2005

KINGSTON, R.I. - University of Rhode Island left-handed pitcher Zack Zuercher (Warwick, R.I.) was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the ninth round of the Major League Baseball Draft on Tuesday.

Zuercher was selected as the 290th pick overall in the ninth round of the 50-round draft which covers two days.

The former all-state pitcher from Pilgrim High just finished his junior year of eligibility at URI, but was offered a contract by the Cardinals and will most likely sign with St. Louis and forgo his senior season.

"Everyone who has played baseball dreams of this," Zuercher said. "The Cardinals called me about 30 seconds before my name was announced and told me they were drafting me. It was a great feeling."

Zuercher is the fourth URI player to be drafted in the last three years and the second taken in the top 10 rounds in the past two drafts. Dan Batz was selected in the sixth round by the Los Angeles Dodgers last June. In 2003, right-handed pitchers Reid Willett (21st Round, Chicago Cubs) and Jared Trout (28th Round, Oakland Athletics) were both selected after their junior seasons and opted to sign professional contracts.

Zuercher was a part of the two most successful teams in school history, helping the Rams to a school-record 35 wins in 2004 and 34 this season, culminating with the school's first Atlantic 10 Championship and NCAA berth.

"I'm very happy for Zack, he's worked very hard for this and he really deserves this," Rhode Island head coach Frank Leoni said. "He helped bring our program to unprecedented heights and I think he will represent the University of Rhode Island very well at the professional level."

He went 14-6 in 30 appearances over the past two seasons for the Rams after transferring from the University of North Carolina. The 2004 Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year and a third-team All-American made 26 starts for Rhody, pitching 14 complete games with a school-record five shutouts.

Zuercher allowed just 129 hits in 184 1/3 innings, striking out 226 for his career which ranks second all-time in school history. He struck out 11.03 batters per nine innings, which is the school record, and opponents batted just .198 against Zuercher over his two years at Rhody. He yielded just 73 runs, 60 of them earned in his 184 1/3 innings pitched for a 2.93 ERA over the past two seasons.

Four URI seniors also have a chance to be selected in the draft. Closer Mick Lefort (Lincoln, R.I.), right-handed pitcher Dan Frederick (Dracut, Mass.), outfielder Matt Sullivan (Nashua, N.H.) and third basemen Mike Rainville (Pawtucket, R.I.) have all heard interest from Major League scouts.