Beyond Box Scores - Updating alumni and talkin' Twitter

by Mike Hirschman, UNCG Sports Information Director

Connecting the dots.... Or is it tweets?

So we are continuing our expansion on the whole Twitter, Facebook thing. In order to keep up with the social network crunch, we've now linked things up such that our Web site will automatically feed our Twitter account (uncgsports for those that haven't heard) using something called Twitterfeed. (It picks up our RSS feed and drops it into the Twitter page automatically. You can subscribe to our RSS feed here.)

Then, using the Twitter app for Facebook, our Twitter posts will feed into our two Facebook pages – Go Spartans and UNCG athletics. This will allow you to receive links to all of our news straight into your Facebook or Twitter. Eventually, we hope to be able to do video highlights and other multimedia things into those items, as well.

Along the same lines, a little more personal touch for the true Spartan fans. Twitter and Facebook both allow you to receive SMS updates, so you could get UNCG updates straight to your phone that way. For information on Twitter texting, go here. SMS Subscribing to an individual Facebook page is available through that individual page. UNCG's can be obtained through the Go Spartans page by clicking on "Subscribe via SMS" midway down the left side of the page. Remember, though, that depending on your plan, SMS may incur a charge on your cell phone or blackberry.

Also, if you have looked at the Twitter widget for UNCGSports, you can actually save that file to your computer locally and have it appear on your desktop with the latest Spartan headlines. More information on the Twitter widget can be found here.

Next season, we are looking into the possibility of live blogging through our LiveStats window and also in-game tweets through our Twitter page.

Updating the Boys of Summer

Eight former Spartans are currently active on professional baseball rosters. Rob Gilliam, who was selected in the eighth round of the First-Year Player Draft earlier this month, has not yet signed with the Oakland Athletics as of Thursday morning.

Brian Moehler – HOUSTON ASTROS
Notes: He is 3-2 with a 4.89 ERA in his past eight starts since coming off of the disabled list with a knee sprain earlier in the season. One of those wins was a complete game effort against Pittsburgh on May 29. He is slated to make his next start against Minnesota on Saturday night.

Jarrett Santos – Class AAA New Orleans
Notes: Went 3-0 with a miniscule 0.69 ERA in 10 games for the Jacksonville Suns (Double-A) before being promoted to the New Orleans Zephyrs (Triple-A). He is currently 2-3 with a 4.06 ERA for the Zephyrs.

Chris Mason – Class AA Montgomery
NOTES: Has gone 2-3 in 18 appearances, including one start, with the Montgomery Bicsuits (Double-A). He was recently called up to Triple-A Durham earlier this season to make a spot start, but was sent back down after his appearance.

Guy Welsh – Class AA West Tennessee
Notes: Played in just one game for the High Desert Mavericks (Single-A High) before being called up to the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx (Double-A) this week.

Patrick Currin – Class High-A Stockton
NOTES: Is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 21 innings over the past 10 games. Also, plays with former Spartan Jermaine Mitchell.

Ryan Falcon – Class High-A Bakersfield
NOTES: Has a 0.47 ERA with 16 strikeouts and only one walk in 20 innings over his past nine games.

Jermaine Mitchell – Class High-A Stockton
Notes: Is hitting .256 with 17 RBI and 35 runs scored for the Stockton Ports (Single-A High) as a centerfielder this season. Also, plays with former Spartan Patrick Currin.

Matt Gaski – Class A Short-season Brooklyn
NOTES: Had a .389 batting average with the Savannah Sand Gnats in Class A before being moved to the Brooklyn Cyclones. Their season begins on Friday against the Staten Island Yankees.

Just for Kicks

This weekend, old friends meet up in Puerto Rico – but not for a vacation. Scott Jones and Randi Patterson square off for a pair of matches in USL First Division play Thursday night and Saturday night. Jones is playing for the Puerto Rico Islanders, while Patterson is playing for the Charleston Battery.

Jones has played in 11 matches for the Islanders this season, logging a total of 967 minutes – fifth-most on the club. Patterson has a pair of goals this season, having played in all 12 matches for the Battery. Charleston is the only unbeaten team in the USL this season at 6-0-6, while Puerto Rico is in third place at 5-3-4.

The Battery, which made a miracle run to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup finals last year before losing to the DC Revolution, are still alive in this year's Cup. They will host MLS's Chivas USA in a third round match June 30 in Charleston.

Speaking of MLS, Alejandro Moreno has appeared in 11 matches this season for the Columbus Crew. He has made 10 starts and logged 913 minutes with five points (2g, 1a). Columbus is tied for third in the Eastern Division with a 4-2-7 mark. Columbus opens play in the Open Cup's third round on June 30, travelling to Rochester of the USL's First Division.

Four current Spartans are playing this summer for the PDL's Carolina Dynamo just up the road at Bryan Park. E.J. O'Keeffe and Ryan Davis are starting on defense, while Thomas Campbell and Cruz Oronos are playing in the midfield. The Dynamo are 3-3-2 on the year thus far.

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