McCrystal, Wohlgemuth earn Appalachian League monthly honors 

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The Appalachian League announced that Burlington's Ryan McCrystal (East Carolina) and Bluefield's Nate Wohlgemuth (Rogers State) were named the Player and Pitcher of the Month of July, respectively.

McCrystal hit .410 with three home runs and 31 RBI in 22 July games for the Burlington Sock Puppets. McCrystal went 34-for-83 in July and finished the month with a .480 OBP, a .687 SLG and a 1.167 OPS. He hit eight doubles, three triples, scored 20 runs, walked 13 times, struck out just 10 times and went 2-for-3 in stolen base attempts. McCrystal led the Appalachian League in hits and RBI in July. He also finished the month second in AVG, tied for second in triples, third in total bases (57), fourth in OPS, fifth in SLG and tied for fifth in doubles. McCrystal started July on a six-game hit streak and finished the month with a hit in eight straight games. He also had at least one RBI in six straight games from July 12-19. On July 21 in Greeneville, McCrystal went 3-for-3 with a home run, double, seven RBI, two runs and two walks. McCrystal had multiple hits in 11 July games and multiple RBI in six.

Overall this season, McCrystal is hitting .395 with three home runs, 46 RBI and a 1.104 OPS in 35 games for the Sock Puppets. McCrystal leads the Appy League in RBI. He also represented the East at the All-Star Game in Burlington earlier this summer. The 19-year-old catcher from Fuquay-Varina, N.C., just finished his freshman season at East Carolina University. McCrystal appeared in 20 games (four starts) for the Pirates this spring, and he hit one home run and had five RBI.

Wohlgemuth appeared in six games (four starts) for the Bluefield Ridge Runners in July. He went 2-0 with a 1.11 ERA for the month. Wohlgemuth also finished July with a 0.62 WHIP and a .114 batting average against. In 24.1 innings pitched, he allowed just nine hits and three runs. He also struck out 40 and walked six. Wohlgemuth led the Appalachian League in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP and batting average against in July. He was tied for second in innings pitched and tied for third in wins. In his first start of the summer July 10 in Johnson City, Wohlgemuth allowed just two hits and struck out 10 over five scoreless innings. On July 16, he took a perfect game into the eighth inning and retired the first 22 batters he faced against Princeton, striking out 12 while allowing one hit and one run. Wohlgemuth finished the month by striking out 11 on July 30 in Burlington, where he allowed two hits and one run in seven innings. Wohlgemuth was named the Appy League Pitcher of the Week twice in July.

Wohlgemuth is 2-1 with a 1.63 ERA in 10 appearances (four starts) for the Ridge Runners this summer. Wohlgemuth has struck out 45 and walked nine in 27.2 innings pitched. He has a 0.76 WHIP and a .130 batting average against. The 21-year-old right-handed pitcher from Owasso, Okla., just finished his sophomore season at San Jacinto College in Texas. He appeared in seven games (one start) this spring, and he struck out 11 in 6.1 innings pitched. Wohlgemuth is committed to play at Rogers State University in Oklahoma this fall.