June 23, 2009
Justin Bour, Chris Henderson, Scott Krieger and Mike Modica, a quartet of former Mason players, began their professional careers this week and each got off to a strong start. Henderson scored four runs in his first game, Krieger homered and drove in three runs in his first contest, Modica pitched two perfect innings in his first game and Bour homered in his second contest.
Henderson, who was a first-team All-American this past season, started on Sunday and went 2 for 4 in his debut playing for the Arizona League Dodgers. He had two singles, two walks and four runs in a 17-3 win. He followed that up going 1 for 5 in his second contest. Bour, playing for the Arizona League Cubs, also made his debut on Sunday, going 0 for 4 in his debut but he followed it up with a solo homer in his second contest. On Tuesday he went 1 for 4 with a an RBI double.
Krieger made his professional debut on Tuesday and the second-team All-American went 2 for 5 with a homer, a double, three RBI and two runs scored. Also a second-team All-American in 2009, Modica made a relief appearance for the Tri-City ValleyCats of the New York-Penn League. He went two innings, didn't allow a walk or a hit and struck out one batter.
Two other former players are also playing minor league baseball this summer. Jason Bour, brother and former teammate of Justin Bour, is playing for the Sarasota Reds of the Florida State League. He is batting .283 with two homers, 12 RBI, 11 runs and a .333 on-base percentage. He has played in 30 games but he has become a regular in the starting lineup in June. Robby Jacobsen is playing for Hagerstown in the South Atlantic League and is batting .256 with a homer, 14 RBI and 27 runs scored. He has a .298 on-base percentage in 52 games played.
Former Mason players Jordan Flasher and Shawn Griffith will make their professional debuts in the coming days. Flasher is pitching for the Gulf Coast Red Sox, who start their season on Wednesday while Griffith is pitching for the Gulf Coast Blue Jays, who began their year on Tuesday night.
