One current, three former ZooKeepers taken in draft

Mike Duprez
Randolph Hub 

The Asheboro ZooKeepers finished the season strong but missed out on the post-season. Here’s a look back at last week’s local sports action and news.

ZOOKEEPERS BASEBALL

*Zach Evans was selected by the San Diego Padres in the ninth round of the Major League draft. 

*Three former Asheboro players were also drafted. Ryan Waldschmidt, who was on the 2022 Asheboro roster, was drafted as Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI) choice (31st overall) by Arizona. Luke Craig, a left-handed pitcher who played in Asheboro in 2021, was taken in the seventh round by the Padres. Trent Youngblood, who played for Asheboro in 2022, was drafted by Arizona in the 10th round. Youngblood has played for the Morehead City Marlins the last two summers.

*R.J. Jimerson went 2-for-5, including his fourth home run of the season, and had five RBIs as the Zookeepers outslugged the Forest City Owls 17-9. Sal Laimo was 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Jackson Hugus and Ryan Kennell each had two hits and an RBI. Evan Harding had a hit and two RBIs. Hunter Atkins also had two hits. Ryan Neilson pitched 2 2/3 innings of hitless relief, striking out two, to get the win.

*Owen Blackledge blasted a grand slam as the Zookeepers edged the Holly Spring Salamanders 6-5. Yariel Diaz was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Dylan Driver and Jimerson each had two hits. Spencer Floyd pitched two hitless innings in relief, striking out three, for the win. Danny Thompson pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn a save.

*Laimo was 3-for-5 with two RBIs in the Zookeepers’ 8-3 win over the Lexington County Blowfish. Jimerson was 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Alex Kean and Blackledge each had two hits. Nick Capozzi and Hugus each had a hit and an RBI. Owen Simmons allowed five hits and two earned runs with five strikeouts in six innings to get the win. Neilson and Thompson both had scoreless relief appearances.

*Four pitchers combined on a two-hitter as the Zookeepers blanked the Forest City Owls 4-0. Tyler Behm started and pitched four innings, striking out two and allowing the Owls’ two hits. Spencer Floyd hurled 2 2/3 innings, striking four and walking four, to get the win. Richie Cimpric got two outs and Thompson went 1 2/3 innings with three strikeouts. Atkins led the hitting by going 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Kennell had a hit and an RBI. Diaz also had two hits.

*Davis Germann, Blackledge and Kean all had a hit and an RBI in the Zookeepers’ 6-5 win over the Martinsville Mustangs. Driver went 2-for-3. Mason Manriquez pitched five scoreless innings, allowing three hits with four strikeouts and five walks. Cimpric hurled 2 1/3 innings of one-hit relief and got the win.

BROOKS BRANNON UPDATE

*The former Randleman star went 1-for-3 in a July 23 game with Fredericksburg, snapping an 0-for-22 skid.

PEYTON WILLIAMS UPDATE

*The former Post 45 standout pitched a scoreless inning with two strikeouts in the Long Island Ducks’ 7-4 win over the Lancaster Barnstormers. Williams is 1-1 with a 5.03 earned run average in 22 appearances for the Ducks, who play in the independent Atlantic League. Williams spent four seasons in the Atlanta Braves’ system.