Baseball notebook: Palmyra’s Kroeger earns first professional pitching victory

QUINCY — Jacob Kroeger’s success out of the bullpen for the Class A Augusta GreenJackets finally earned him a start, and the left-hander seized the moment.

The Palmyra native threw five innings with just one run allowed in a 6-2 victory over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans on May 28. Kroeger struck out six, allowed five hits and walked none in his first start after making nine relief appearances this season.

Kroeger, who was a second-team All-American at Maryville University, won his first professional game on May 15 when he threw 4.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen in the GreenJackets’ 4-1 victory over the Columbia Fireflies. He allowed one hit while striking out six and walking one.

A 10th-round draft pick of the Atlanta Braves in 2024, Kroeger has fashioned a 1.88 ERA over 24 innings with 33 strikeouts and 10 walks this season. He is 2-0 with one save.

Croes gets elevated to High-A affiliate

It didn’t take long for Dayson Croes to show the San Francisco Giants organization what everyone else already knew.

He’s a professional hitter.

The former Quincy University All-American infielder was signed by the Giants at the end of April and assigned to their rookie league team in the Arizona Cactus League. On May 25, he was assigned to the High-A Eugene Emeralds in the Northwest League.

Croes was a two-time all-star with the Winnipeg Goldeyes in the American Association and the league’s second-leading hitter his rookie season. He was hitting .308 in the rookie league before getting called up, and he has two hits in eight at-bats since joining the Emeralds.

Napleton earns opportunity with Twins

The greatest home run hitter in Quincy University history is off to a slugging start with the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels.

Luke Napleton signed a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins on May 12 and was assigned to their Class A affiliate. In eight games so far, Napleton is hitting .333 with a home run and seven RBIs in 27 at-bats. He hit his first home run — a two-run blast — in a 6-3 victory over the Bradenton Marauders on May 27.

Napleton set the QU single-season home run record with 29 home runs during the 2023 season in which he was named a first-team All-American. He finished his career with 50 home runs, a school record, before transferring to Louisville for his final season of eligibility. He hit .320 with 11 home runs for the Cardinals.

Napleton was playing with the High Point Rockers in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball before his contract was purchased by the Twins. He was hitting .571 with two home runs and 10 RBIs in eight games with the Rockers when the Twins signed him.

Kirn helps Mountaineers win NCAA opener

Quincy Notre Dame graduate Griffin Kirn, who was the Great Lakes Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year in his final season at Quincy University, helped the West Virginia baseball team win its opening game in the NCAA Clemson Regional on Friday.

The left-handed Kirn threw 7.1 innings, allowing one earned run and two walks while striking out seven as the second-seeded Mountaineers walked off with a 4-3 victory over third-seeded Kentucky. Kirn earned a no-decision as West Virginia broke the 3-3 tie with a run-scoring sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth.

Kirn is 5-2 this season with a 3.12 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 94 innings. In his college career, Kirn has 27 victories and 357 strikeouts in 309 innings.

Voth, Northwood look to bounce back

Mendon Unity native Logan Voth and the Northwood baseball team suffered a 5-3 loss to second-seeded Central Missouri on Friday in the opening round of the NCAA Division II baseball championships in Cary, N.C.

Voth went 1 for 4 with a run scored for the Timberwolves.

Northwood (40-21) will face East Stroudsburg in an elimination game at 12:30 p.m. Sunday at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.