DeMark ’06 promoted to Class AA San Antonio Missions
Right-hander worked two scoreless innings in debut on Friday

July 28, 2008
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — The San Diego Padres promoted Marietta College graduate Mike DeMark '06 to the San Antonio Missions, its Class AA affiliate in the Texas League, this past week.

DeMark made his debut on Friday (July 29) against the Frisco RoughRiders, the Double-A counterpart of the Texas Rangers. He threw two scoreless innings in the Missions' 6-3 loss to the RoughRiders. DeMark retired the first four hitters he faced before giving up a one-out single in the seventh. DeMark, however, picked that runner off first base and then struck out the next hitter to get out of the inning unscathed.

DeMark, who signed a minor league contract with the Padres in 2007, was having a breakout year with the organization's Class A Lake Elsinore Storm. The right-handed reliever was 1-2 with a 2.17 earned run average in 42 appearances. DeMark had allowed 14 runs (12 earned) on 35 hits with 19 walks and 53 strikeouts in 49 2/3 innings with the Storm. Opponents were batting just .196 off him.

DeMark spent his first season of professional ball with the Florence Freedom of the Independent Frontier League in 2006. He went 1-4 with a 3.22 ERA out of the bullpen for the Freedom. In 64 innings, the right-hander struck out 59 hitters and kept opposing batters to a .192 average. In 2007, DeMark was 2-1 while posting a 3.74 ERA in 44 games with the Storm. He allowed 34 runs (22 earned) on 45 hits with 30 walks and 70 strikeouts in 53 innings.

DeMark, an All-American as a sophomore, went 31-3 with a 2.53 earned run average in his four-year career with the Etta Express. He accumulated 262 strikeouts, which tied him for fifth on Marietta's career strikeout list.

Marietta College, one of the smallest schools in NCAA Division III, has three former players currently active in professional baseball. Matt DeSalvo '03 is pitching in his first season with the Richmond Braves, the Class AAA affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, and Chris Sidick '05 is in his fourth season with the Washington Wild Things of the Frontier League.The Pioneers have had 43 join the professional ranks since 1964 [Pioneers in the pros].