July 28, 2013
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky sophomore Chandler Shepherd worked a perfect, eight-pitch inning in the 2013 Cape Cod League All-Star Game, held on Saturday afternoon at Yarmouth-Dennis’ Red Wilson Field.
Shepherd worked a perfect top of the third inning in the all-star game for the East Division, needing just eight pitches to cruise through the frame. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound right-hander retired Arizona shortstop Kevin Newman, Rice outfielder Leon Byrd and N.C. State outfielder Jake Fincher.
Shepherd’s dominating summer has come in the top collegiate league in the nation, with the sophomore sporting a 2-2 record and a 0.84 ERA in his seven games and six starts (including the all-star game inning). Shepherd has worked 32 innings, allowing just 18 hits and walked seven, striking out 27. He opened his summer with 14 consecutive shutout innings and is currently riding a stretch of 15 consecutive innings without surrendering an earned run. In regular-season action, Shepherd ranks second in the circuit in ERA (0.87).
A native of Louisa, Ky., Shepherd was the ninth Kentucky standout to earn a Cape Cod League All-Star bid over the last seven years. Since 2008, the Wildcats have had the third-most CCBL All-Stars in college baseball.
Shepherd joins former UK stars Trevor Gott (2011), Taylor Rogers (2011), Braden Kapteyn (2010), Chad Wright (2010), Chris Bisson (2009), Keenan Wiley (2008), Collin Cowgill (2007) and Antone DeJesus (2007) as UK’s CCBL All-Stars in the last seven summers.
Shepherd was one of four Southeastern Conference players to earn Cape Cod All-Star honors, including Vanderbilt outfielder Rhett Wiseman, Alabama pitcher Justin Kamplain and Arkansas southpaw Jalen Beeks.
In his two-year UK career, Shepherd has been a fixture on the UK pitching staff as a key weekend reliever and midweek starter. He has an 8-1 record and a 3.30 ERA in 44 games and 10 starts, notching one save. Shepherd has worked 111.2 innings in his UK career, allowing 110 hits and 33 walks, striking out 72. In 2013, Shepherd led UK with a 2.77 ERA, sporting a 5-0 record in 26 games.
UK’S SUMMER ALL-STARS
Kyle Barrett (Perfect Game League)
Andrew Bryant (All-American Collegiate League)
Matt Reida (New England Collegiate League)
Chandler Shepherd (Cape Cod League)
Zach Strecker (Prospect League)
Storm Wilson (Prospect League)
