OMAHA, Neb. — LSU slugger Matt Gaudet will compete in the inaugural College Home Run Derby at Omaha’s Rosenblatt Stadium on Wednesday, July 7 at 7:30 p.m. CDT. The event will be shown on a tape-delayed basis by CBS on Sunday, July 11, at noon CDT.
Gaudet, a product of Metairie, La., completed his collegiate career in 2010, earning second-team all-SEC honors at designated hitter while blasting a team-high 19 homers for the Tigers. He finished fourth in the SEC in home runs and ninth in the league in RBI with 67.
Gaudet has earned a general studies degree from LSU and is a two-time member of the Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll.
Fresno State’s Jordan Ribera and Siena’s Dan Paolini headline the list of other sluggers who will compete in the event.
Ribera led the nation in 2010 with 27 regular-season blasts while hitting .343 in 63 games as a junior first baseman for Fresno State. He also hit memorable home runs against Rice University and the University of Georgia during Fresno State’s improbable national championship run in the 2008 College World Series.
Paolini, a sophomore second baseman, finished the 2010 season with 26 dingers, including four multi-homer games. The 2010 Collegiate Baseball Second-Team All-American and 2009 MAAC Rookie of the Year is playing for the Chatham A’s in the prestigious Cape Cod League this summer.
Other participants include sophomore infielder Matt Skole of Georgia Tech and senior catcher Steven Felix of Troy. Two more players will be announced to complete the field of eight later this week.
The 2010 TD AMERITRADE College Home Run Derby will also feature National Baseball Hall of Fame member Mike Schmidt and 2010 National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Andre Dawson. Schmidt and Dawson will participate in several events throughout the day and will serve as honorary hitting coaches for Derby participants.