Andre Hughes leaves Solingen Alligators for Dutch Hoofdklasse

According to an article in a local German newspaper on Monday the left-handed pitcher Andre Hughes is leaving 2006 champion SOLINGEN ALLIGATORS for the Dutch Hoofdklasse club HCAW MR COCKER. The 23-year-old southpaw is a member of the German National Team and dominated the northern conference in the Baseball-Bundesliga together with Enorbel Marquez-Ramirez the past few seasons. The article also says that Hughes will continue to practice with the ALLIGATORS during the week and is only travelling to the north of Holland on game days.

Hughes had an impressive 11-1 record with an ERA of 1.79 in 13 starts in the 2008 season. He allowed more than two earned runs in just two of his appearances. He struck out 77 in 80 2/3 innings, while walking 15. On the last game day of the regular season he pitched five no-hit innings against the CARDINALS, striking out six. He started two games each during the playoffs against MAINZ in the quarterfinals and REGENSBURG in the semis, finishing with a 1-2 record and an ERA of 2.53. He had 35 strikeouts and ten free passes in 32 innings.

He also was a member of the starting rotation of the National Team at the European Championship in Barcelona, the Baseball World Cup in Taiwan and the Olympic Qualifier at the same place. At the Qualifier last March he impressed with an ERA of 1.80 in 15 innings.

It is good step for Hughes individually as he now can prove himself in one of the two top leagues in Europe. The northern conference in Germany is falling behind the southern counterpart in recent years and besides the ALLIGATORS only the PADERBORN UNTOUCHABLES are able to challenge the south at the moment.

The 25-year-old Jens Cornelsen is probably replacing Hughes in the rotation. He had an ERA of 1.04 in six games (three starts) in 2008, striking out 34 (ten walks) in 26 innings. The right-hander is also a member of the National Team.

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