Marshall University Athletics
Round 36 Sees Ballou to Pirates, Sikula to Blue Jays
6/8/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
June 8, 2011
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - In the 36th round on the third day of the MLB First Year Player Draft, centerfielder Isaac Ballou and right-handed pitcher Arik Sikula of the Marshall University baseball team were selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates and Toronto Blue Jays, respectively.
Ballou, one of fastest players on the team, if not all of Conference USA, was selected with the 1,082 overall pick. The speedster stole 18 bases in 23 attempts in 2011 and swiped 30 of 38 in his two years dawning the Green and White. A native of Smithville, Va., Ballou is a draft-eligible sophomore due to being 21 years of age.
Not only was Ballou a menace on the base paths but at the plate as well. He legged out seven triples, tops in C-USA, and has totaled 10 three-baggers during his time in Huntington, just one shy of the school record. Ballou also produced an eight RBI game, which included a grand slam at Ohio earlier in the season.
One of the most durable and versatile pitchers in Marshall school history, Sikula was picked by the Toronto Blue Jays with the 1,099 selection. Sikula pitched as a closer and reliever in his first two years for the Thundering Herd, and then spent the last two years as the Sunday starter. The righty flourished in his new role, earning 2010 First Team All-C-USA honors, becoming the first pitcher in program history to earn the award.
In his senior season, Sikula became the first pitcher in Marshall history to garner C-USA Pitcher of the Week honors on March 14 for a pair of dominating starts at Virginia and Ohio. He finished with 201 career strikeouts, ranking fourth in school history. Sikula also finished in the top-10 in program history in appearances, innings pitched and saves.
Both Ballou and Sikula were not drafted out of high school.
