June 8, 2008

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Park (Mo.) University junior right-handed pitcher Josh Hake was taken in the 50th round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Philadelphia Phillies, who selected Hake with the draft's 1,498th overall pick and the 21st pick in the round.

Hake, who transferred to Park prior to the 2008 season from Tucson's Pima Community College, was 9-0 for the Pirates, including two wins over NAIA World Series qualifier Bellevue University.

He led the nation in two statistical categories, allowing 5.43 hits per nine innings pitched as well as striking out 12.33 batters per nine during the season. He compiled a 2.64 ERA, which ranked 37th in the NAIA, while his opponent batting average of .171 ranked third and his nine wins were 34th in the nation.

Hake finished the year with a pair of shut-outs and a third that went as a combined blank, totaling 61.1 innings in 11 appearances and nine starts with 84 strike outs and only 26 issued bases on balls.

He posted only one no-decision on the season, earning one of his nine wins in a relief appearance against Graceland. Hake, who has one year of eligibility left with the Pirates, allowed 37 hits this season, of which only six went for extra bases.