MILWAUKEE, Wis. - Former Marietta College pitching standout Mark Williams has signed a free agent contract with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Williams was assigned to the Helena Brewers of the Pioneer League.
Williams initially inked a contract with the Washington Wild Things of the Frontier League on June 18, making him the 45th member of the Marietta baseball fraternity to join the professional ranks since 1964.
He made his professional debut that same evening and pitched a scoreless inning against the Windy City ThunderBolts. The hard-throwing, right-hander retired all three batters and struck out one.
Williams made 14 relief appearances for the Wild Things posting a 1-1 record. He struck out 24 opposing hitters in 14.1 innings of work. He did not allow a run in his last six appearances for Washington.
"This is a fantastic opportunity for Mark," Marietta College head baseball coach Brian Brewer said. "He was really throwing well for the Wild Things and, if he can keep pitching like that, he will do very well in the Milwaukee organization."
Williams, a D3Baseball.com All-America second team, ABCA All-Mideast Region second team and All-OAC first team honoree, went 8-1 with a 1.59 ERA while leading the Etta Express to the 2011 NCAA Division III National Championship. The right-hander allowed 14 earned runs on 48 hits and struck out a team-high 97 over 79 innings in 20 appearances and 11 starts.
Nationally, Williams ranked 19th in ERA, ninth in hits allowed per nine innings and 10th in strikeouts.
Marietta, under the direction of eighth-year Head Coach Brian Brewer, captured the program's record fifth national title with an 18-5 victory over Chapman University May 31 in Grand Chute, Wis. The Etta Express finished with a nation's best 47-4 record. It was Brewer's second championship as the Pioneers also won the crown in 2006. The first three national championships were won under legendary coach Don Schaly in 1981, 1983 and 1986.
Marietta College now has five former players currently active in professional baseball.
Jim Tracy '78 is the Manager of the Colorado Rockies.
In addition, Matt DeSalvo '03 is pitching in his second season with the York (Pa.) Revolution of the Independent Atlantic League, Mike DeMark '06 is in his first season with the Mobile BayBears, the Class AA affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Chris Sidick '05 is in his record seventh season with the Washington Wild Things of the Frontier League.
Story courtesy of Marietta College.
