Matt Skole Named SAL Most Valuable Player

Hagerstown, MD - The Hagerstown Suns, in conjunction with the South Atlantic League (SAL), are proud to announce that Suns third baseman Matt Skole has been voted the 2012 South Atlantic League Most Valuable Player. Skole, who was also the Suns' lone selection to the SAL's postseason Annual All-Star Team as the third baseman, was promoted to the Advanced-A Potomac Nationals of the Carolina League on August 14th.

Skole, 23, was the catalyst of the Suns offense, batting .286 with league-leading totals in home runs (27), walks (94), slugging percentage (.574) and on-base percentage (.438) at the time of his promotion. Skole was the SAL's most prolific slugger, averaging one home run in every 12.70 at-bats, while also ranking second in RBIs (92).

A native of Woodstock, GA, Skole accounted for 25-percent of the Suns' team total of home runs and propelled the Hagerstown to a 25-2 when he went deep in a game. He registered three walk-off hits for Hagerstown, including a dramatic game-winning grand slam to cap a come-from-behind win over the Lexington Legends on August 3rd.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound, corner infielder was selected to play for the Northern Division at the SAL's mid-season All-Star Game in Charleston, SC, and was also a finalist in the Home Run Derby contest. Skole, who enjoyed a pair of 4-for-4 games this season, finished his campaign with the Suns having amassed 20 multi-hit & multi-RBI games. Defensively, after committing 15 errors in the first half of the season, Skole improved to commit just four errors in 35 second half games.

Skole joined the Suns after an impressive 2011 campaign with Short Season-A Auburn where he led the New York-Penn League in RBIs (48) and doubles (23) while finishing second in extra-base hits (29) and third in total hits (79). He was selected in the fifth-round (157th overall) of the 2011 draft by the Nationals.

Suns individual game tickets, season tickets, mini-plans, and group packages are on sale now. For more information and to reserve your seat at Municipal Stadium, call 301-791-6266, or www.hagerstownsuns.com. The Hagerstown Suns are owned by Hagerstown Baseball, LLC.