Left-handed starting pitcher Andre Hughes returns to the German club SOLINGEN ALLIGATORS. The Baseball-Bundesliga team announced the signing on Thursday in a press release. He had left the ALLIGATORS after the 2008 season to join the Dutch Hoofdklasse club HCAW MR COCKER, where he impressed during his first year in one of the best leagues in Europe. In 13 starts he had a 3-4 record with an ERA of 3.09 and 69 strikeouts (30 walks) in 78 2/3 innings.
However HCAW only won eleven of the 42 games in 2009 and Hughes decided to go back to one of the dominating teams in Germany. He also receives the opportunity to pitch in a European Cup Qualifier, as SOLINGEN will represent the Baseball-Bundesliga in the B-Pool next year after the MANNHEIM TORNADOS as vice champion decided not to play there again.
Hughes also pitched for the German national team in the Baseball World Cup. Starting against Venezuela in the decisive third match of round one, the southpaw conceded five hits, six runs and two walks in just 2 1/3 innings. Venezuela won 12-1 in the end and Germany was eliminated from the tournament.