Austin, Shipers, Griffin Named 2012 All-Stars

Jamal Austin named starting outfielder and Jordan Shipers and Tim Griffin will join the pitching staff.

By Chad Seely

June 4, 2012

Clinton, Iowa - On Tuesday, June 19 the Midwest League All-Star Game will be played at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark in Geneva, IL and the Clinton LumberKings will be well represented. Three players from the LumberKings were named to the Western Division squad highlighted by Jamal Austin being named a starting outfielder. Pitchers Jordan Shipers and Tim Griffin will join Austin in Kane County.

Austin, 21, has been a sparkplug at the top of the order for the LumberKings all season long. To date, Austin is hitting .291 and is second in the Midwest League with 22 stolen bases. From April 14-May 26, Austin reached base in 37 consecutive games. The streak is the second longest in all of Minor League Baseball behind only Jurickson Profar of the AA-Frisco Roughriders. The Georgia native has 62 hits this year and has scored 29 runs while making 52 starts this year, all hitting lead off and playing center field. Austin has 18 multi-hit games with ten doubles, two triples and one home run. The home run was in walk-off fashion on June 2 against the Cedar Rapids Kernels in the bottom of the ninth to give the LumberKings a 4-3 win.

Shipers, 20, has been Clinton's best starting pitcher this year and has been one of the most consistent starters in the Midwest League. The left-hander is 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA in 11 starts this year. In Shipers' first eight starts, he allowed only eight earned runs in 52 innings (1.38 ERA). The Missouri native has seven quality starts this year. Shipers is responsible for one of the finest performances in the Midwest League this year when he threw a complete-game, three-hit shutout against Burlington on May 5 in a 4-0 win over the Bees.

Griffin, 24, leads the LumberKings in holds and has been Clinton's most consistent reliever in 2012. In 14 games, Griffin is 3-1 with a 3.38 ERA. The Florida native is holding opposing batters to a .190 batting average against. In 29 1/3 innings, Griffin has allowed only 20 hits and ten walks while recording 19 strikeouts.

The LumberKings close the first half of the season in Peoria for three games and then open the second half of the 2012 campaign with a six-game home stand against Kane County and Peoria. For tickets and more information contact the LumberKings at 563-242-0727 or visit www.lumberkings.com.