Crestwood, IL – The Windy City ThunderBolts will have some extra left-handed power when they take the diamond at Hawk Ford Field with the addition of infielder Phillip Hawke. The 23-year-old Hawke was originally drafted by the Texas Rangers and spent two years in their minor league system.
Hawke debuted with the Rangers’ rookie-level affiliate in 2005 and hit .386 with four home runs and 17 RBI in 19 games before being promoted to Class A Spokane. He added six more home runs and 14 RBI while batting .250 in 26 games for the Indians.
Last season Hawke played for Class A Bakersfield in the California League. In 36 games with the Blaze, Hawke hit .220 with two home runs and 15 RBI as both a first baseman and a designated hitter.
Prior to being drafted, Hawke played for four seasons at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. For his career, he hit .319 with 30 home runs, 170 RBI, 42 doubles, and 133 runs scored. His best season came in 2005 as a senior when he batted .357 with 12 home runs, 16 doubles, and 68 RBI in 65 starts. Current ThunderBolt John McCarthy was teammates with Hawke on the 2005 Ragin’ Cajuns squad.
The ThunderBolts have released the team’s 2007 schedule and will host the Rockford RiverHawks for Opening Night at Hawk Ford Field on May 23, 2007. The complete schedule can be found at www.WCThunderBolts.com.
For information about 2007 season tickets, group outings, skybox suites, and marketing opportunities, please call 708-489-2255. The Windy City ThunderBolts are a member of the 12-team Frontier League, an independent league with teams in the Midwest.
