A walk is as good as a hit.
Just ask Erik Earnest.
“Baseball is in my blood.”

If you’ve been out to Shark Park this season, you probably noticed a familiar face out running the bases.
Erik Earnest has been catching, pitching and playing center field.
But most of all, he’s been walking.

Coming in to Saturdays double header against reigning champions Stockholm, Earnest leads the league in walks per total at bats. His On Base Percentage is at .645, good for third in the league.
In fact, as far as bases on balls is concerned, Earnest is playing in a league of his own. Leading the BB/TAB with more than 40 points and distancing third place with about 70.

“I like to get on base and rattle the pitcher,” Earnest says.

The fact that he is back out there, running the bases in a Sharks uniform is a good thing for the organization. After playing two years at Bakersfield College, he sat out most of the 2014 Elite series season. The motivation just wasn’t there.
This season, it is.

“It’s great to be out there again, I just needed a break from it. Baseball is in my blood.”

With Hajarna picking up two wins against the Academy, and looking good doing so, Earnest has his goal set.

“We should be out there when the playoffs get started.”

The Stockholm Monarchs will take on Hajarna for a double header at Shark Park on Saturday. It will certainly be a challenge for Göteborg as the reigning champions travel south unbeaten this season. The Monarchs has been fueled by great pitching in the early stages of the season as Dylan Driscoll (0.00) and Jakob Claesson (0.53) lead the league in ERA.

“I know a couple of guys on that team, it’s going to be fun,” Earnest says.

First pitch is at 13.00 – make sure to be there.