6.7.2011

FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University baseball standout Mark Montgomery|Williamsburg (Bruton) was selected by the New York Yankees in the 11th round of the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft Tuesday during the second day of the three-day, 50-round amateur draft. The 6-0, 205-pound right-handed pitcher was 1-0 with 10 saves and a 0.89 earned run average in 22 appearances, including 30.1 innings and 48 strikeouts (14.24) as a junior closer with the Lancers during 2011. Montgomery, the 359th overall selection, becomes only the ninth Longwood Baseball player to ever be drafted. Mark is the son of Glenna and Ron Montgomery.  For updates on his professional career, please visit this link.

“We're thrilled at Mark being drafted by the New York Yankees,” said 33rd-year Longwood head coach Charles Buddy Bolding. “It's the premier organization in professional baseball and they have a great reputation at developing pitchers. He should have the opportunity to advance rapidly through their organization.”

Montgomery established new Longwood season-records for era (0.89), saves (10), and fewest hits allowed (12-3.56, per nine innings) during 2011. He yielded just four runs, three earned, while limiting opponents to a .120 batting average with only 10 walks (2.97) and no home runs allowed. Montgomery led the pitching staff in appearances, games in relief, era, saves, strikeouts, opponent batting average, games finished (21), and batters struck out looking (16). Throughout his three-year, 64-appearance career at Longwood, Montgomery was 7-6 with 16 saves and a 3.79 era over 128.1 innings with 157 strikeouts (11.01). He owns the school-record for career saves (16), while ranking sixth in era (3.79).

Montgomery has recently made two appearances with the Peninsula Pilots of the Coastal Plain League (CPL), earning two saves over 2.0 innings with five strikeouts while allowing one hit with one walk. Last summer, he was a 2010 CPL All-Star and Rawlings Defensive Player of the Game, playing for Edenton, North Carolina (26 appearances, 1-2, 12 saves, 2.57 era, 28.0 innings, 54 strikeouts (17.36). Montgomery was ranked the 8th-best prospect in 2010 CPL by Baseball America magazine.

Other previous Longwood draft selections include Frankie Watson (7th round) and Kelvin Davis (24th round) in 1988 by Kansas City, Michael Tucker (1st round, #10 overall) and Scott Abell (37th round) in 1992 by Kansas City, LaRon Wilson (17th round) in 2002 by the New York Mets, Jeremy Knicely (42nd round)?in 2003 by Toronto, Charlie Yarbrough (7th round) in 2006 by Philadelphia, and Phil Cerreto (40th round) in 2010 by St. Louis.

Longwood finished 2011 with a record of 28-18, attaining its 30th overall 20-win campaign, and 23rd season with at least 25 wins in the program's 34-year history. Veteran coach Bolding is now 900-495-4, including 30 winning seasons during his tenure as mentor of the tradition-rich program, earning his 900th collegiate coaching victory on May 10 during a 6-4 road win at James Madison.