FROM AUBURNTIGERS.CSTV.COM
 
July 6, 2010

Shortstop Casey McElroy’s sophomore season at Auburn ended on June 7, but he was right back on the field less than a week later. McElroy is a member of the Hyannis Harbor Hawks, a summer league team based out of Hyannis, Mass. The Harbor Hawks are members of the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL).

McElroy was very excited about the opportunity to play in a league again this year after an injury in 2009 led to an abbreviated summer season.

“Just the confidence from the extra practice is huge,“ said McElroy. “My summer was cut short last year because I broke my thumb, so knowing I can get the experience this summer is great.“

Coming off an impressive second season at Auburn, McElroy continues to succeed this summer and is batting .308 through 20 games with the Harbor Hawks. He also holds two team-highs with 20 hits and 13 RBI.

“It is definitely a pitchers’ league,“ said McElroy. “It helps my confidence to know that I can improve myself and get better, especially playing against some of the best guys in the country.“

McElroy has also had the opportunity to see some of his teammates from Auburn - on the other side of the field. Outfielder Creede Simpson and catcher Tony Caldwell are also playing with teams in the CCBL this summer. Simpson is a member of the Bourne Braves and Caldwell is playing for the Wareham Gatemen.

“I faced Creede Simpson’s team a few nights ago,“ said McElroy. “I’ve played them both and we talk before and after the games. It’s cool to see them from the other side.“
 

Going into summer play, McElroy took a lot of the experience from the 2010 post-season at Auburn with him. The Tigers took first place in the SEC West and competed as the No. 2 seed in the SEC Tournament in late May. They were then awarded a No. 1 seed and hosted a regional for the NCAA Championship in early June.

“Hosting a regional was a great opportunity, especially for us younger guys who will be coming back next year,“ said McElroy. “Just the experience to play in a regional at home with our fans and everything was huge.“

McElroy finished his season at Auburn batting a career-high .325 with 68 hits, 11 doubles and nine home runs. He was fourth on the team in RBIs with 43.

Tiger fans can follow McElroy throughout the rest of the summer season by visiting http://harborhawks.org/.