APPALACHIAN LEAGUE: Sox Slugger Strong In Defeat

BY TIM HAYES
Bristol Herald Courier
BRISTOL, Va. – Bristol White Sox first baseman Leighton Pangilinan has been a hit in his first season as a professional.

The California native went 2-for-3 and raised his batting average to .296 on Thursday night in Bristol’s 8-2 Appalachian League loss to the Pulaski Mariners at DeVault Stadium.

Pangilinan connected for a RBI double in the third, doubled again in the sixth and drew a walk in the eighth. He’s shown a nice power stroke this season, which was one of the reasons the Chicago White Sox drafted him in the 40th round of June’s Major League Baseball Amateur Draft.

He hit .476 with nine home runs and 42 RBIs as a senior at Escalon High School in Northern California. While he admits that moving from the West Coast to Southwest Virginia has been a bit of a culture shock, it hasn’t bothered him on the field.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” Pangilinan said. “It’s a great experience and really good competition, of course. It’s a lot different from high school.”

Pangilinan had the ultimate highlight on July 6 in his professional debut at Johnson City. On the first pitch of his first at-bat, Pangilinan smashed a ball over the right-center field fence at Cardinal Park.

“I was surprised I hit it out,” Pangilinan said. “It was the first pitch … It was right there, and I swung as hard as I could.”

Pangilinan was one of the few highlights for the BriSox (25-38) on Thursday. Four Bristol pitchers combined to allow 12 hits and eight different Pulaski players had at least one hit.

Outfielder Fred Bello led the Mariners, going 2-for-4 with four runs scored, three RBIs and an impressive inside-the-park home run in the ninth inning.

Meanwhile, Pulaski pitchers John Housey and Jordan Merry combined on a five-hitter. Housey (3-2, 2.95 ERA) struck out six in 5 1/3 innings and Merry closed it out for his fifth save.

Bristol has an off day today before playing its final home game on Saturday against Pulaski. While many players are tiring of the daily grind and anticipating getting home for the
offseason, Pangilinan is still producing at the plate.

“I’m just trying to stay focused on the game and not worry about home so much,” he said.