May 31, 2007

FORMER RED HAWK PITCHER HAMMAN GETS TRIPLE-A
START AGAINST ROGER CLEMENS

FORMER NJAC PITCHER OF THE YEAR OPPOSED FIVE-TIME CY YOUNG WINNER

Nearly seven years to the day after leading Montclair State to its third NCAA Division III national championship, former Red Hawk pitcher Corey Hamman opposed five-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens on May 28 in the latter's expected final minor-league start before returning to the New York Yankees.

Hamman, the 2000 NCAA Division III World Series MVP, pitched six innings, but was tagged with the loss as his Toledo Mud Hens, the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, were blanked by the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, 2-0 in an International League contest at PNC Field.

With all of the media focused on the outing by the 44-year-old Clemens, Hamman held his own against The Rocket as he made his first start of the season for the Mud Hens in place of righthander Zach Miner who was recalled by the Tigers earlier in the week. Hamman was solid, pitching three scoreless innings allowing just two hits. He ran into trouble in the fourth however, after allowing back-to-back singles to former major-leaguer Andy Phillips and former first-round pick and New Jersey product Eric Duncan, which set the table for outfielder Bronson Sardinha, brother of Mud Hens catcher Dane Sardinha. Sardinha’s RBI single to left field gave the Yankees a 1-0 lead heading to the fifth, which was all the run support Clemens and the Yankees would need.

Clemens would go the first six innings allowing just two hits, striking out six and walking two as he threw 89 pitches, 56 for strikes. Hamman also left after six, the tough luck loser allowing just the one earned-run scattering six hits, striking out two with no walks as he fell to 0-3.

Hamman was making his 16th appearance for Toldeo this season, his third with the Mud Hens. He was selected by the Tigers in the 12th round of the 2002 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft and two years ago helped Toledo to the International League Championship as he was called up to the team just prior to the playoffs. He earned a victory in the first game of the semifinal series with Norfolk (a New York Mets affiliate) and then earned a win in Game 2 of the International League championship series versus Indianapolis as Toldeo earned its first title since 1980.

Hamman pitched for Montclair State from 1999-2002. The former New Jersey Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year went 29-14, finishing third all-time in victories while also setting the MSU record for appearances with 73. He finished second all-time in innings pitched (317.2) and is just one of two pitchers in school history to strikeout 300 batters in a career as he fanned 301.

Hamman was a clutch performer in the 2000 World Series for Montclair as he came out of the bullpen against Emory (GA) in the first elimination game of the tournament. The lefty went the final six innings allowing just one hit as Montclair remained alive in the tournament with a 5-0. The victory propelled the Red Hawks to three more wins and a spot in the championship game against St. Thomas (MN). Making his first start of the World Series, Hamman pitched a complete-game striking out five as Montclair State became the first team in 15 years to win the title after losing its first game of the tournament with a 6-2 triumph.

The following year he helped the Red Hawks return to the World Series where MSU placed third. Hamman turned in perhaps his best performance in Appleton, WI pitching all 10 innings allowing five hits and striking out 11 as he retired 15 of the final 17 hitters he faced in 2-1 Montclair win over Marietta College. His effort landed him on the Division III World Series All-Tournament Team for a second straight year.

Hamman was named to the All-Time NCAA Division III World Series All-Tournament Team two years ago during the 30th Anniversary of the championship. In his three appearances in the national tournament, Hamman fashioned a 3-0 mark with 0.35 ERA allowing one earned run (three total) and 13 hits in 25.2 innings with 22 strikeouts and five walks.