Former Spartan Bradley Blanks Signs with Phillies
7/21/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Former USC Upstate pitcher Bradley Blanks has signed a professional contract with the Philadelphia Phillies and is currently playing with the Williamsport Crosscutters, the Phillies Class-A Short Season Affiliate.
Blanks made his debut with the club on July 16 at Hudson Valley. Against the Renegades, the two-year Spartan letterwinner pitched two innings allowing two runs on three hits. In Blanks' second appearance at Mahoning Valley, he pitched two innings of shutout baseball, allowing just one hit while striking out one Scrapper batter.
Prior to arriving in Williamsport, Blanks began the 2010 season with the Windy City Thunderbolts of the Frontier League, an independent baseball league. He appeared in 19 games for the Thunderbolts, finishing with a 1-2 record and one save. In 26.1 innings of work, Blanks had an ERA of 2.74 and he struck out 28 batters.
In 2008, Blanks played with the Evansville Otters of the Frontier League. In 30 appearances, he owned 2.18 ERA and a 4-1 record. In 41.1 innings of work, Blanks struck out 28 batters. He took a break from baseball during the 2009 season.
During his time in Spartanburg, Blanks was 5-6 overall and tallied 13 career saves in 47 appearances for the Spartans. His 13 career saves currently ranks second all-time in school history. In 2006, the junior led the Spartans with a single-season school-record 12 saves. His record-setting 10th save came in the Spartans 6-3 victory against No. 5 Columbus State on April 9, 2006, as he threw the final 2.2 innings of the game. He also tied the school-record for appearances in a season with 29 outings as a junior.
During Blanks' career, the Spartans won a total of 67 games and made back-to-back Peach Belt Conference Tournament appearances in Upstate's final two seasons of Division II play.
