NORMAL, Ill. -After leading the Missouri Valley Conference with a .407 league batting average last season, senior outfielder Eric Aguilera has carried over his success to summer ball. The Cary, Ill., native is currently playing for the Lakeshore Chinooks of the wood bat collegiate Northwoods League, and leads his team in batting average (.380), on-base percentage (.430) and slugging percentage (.554). Aguilera carries an eight-game hitting streak into play Wednesday night.
In affiliated Minor League Baseball, Neal Cotts continues his trek to return to the big leagues. Cotts is rehabilitating from Tommy John surgery, as well as four hip-related operations. He is currently closing for the Round Rock Express, the Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. Cotts last pitched in Major League Baseball for the 2009 Chicago Cubs.
Kenny Long, who holds the career saves record for Illinois State, notched his first professional save, June 23, at Connecticut.
Throughout the summer, GoRedbirds.com will update the status of current and former ISU baseball players every Wednesday, with daily updates occurring on the official Illinois State Baseball Twitter account, @REDBIRDBaseball.
Illinois State Baseball Players in Collegiate Summer Leagues - Stats Updated as of Wednesday, June 27
(Batters splits are Average/On-base Percentage/Slugging Percentage)
.380/.430/.554, 2 HR, 15 RBI, 10 2B, 11 R, 2-2 SB 0-0, 6.00 ERA, 1 app. (start), 3 IP, 2 K, 6 BB - Reached base six times going 4-4 with a double and two walks Saturday, June 23, at Madison. - Currently has an eight game hitting streak and leads his team in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
.229/.270/.400, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 3 2B, 8 R - Went 2-4 with one double, one RBI and one run scored Friday, June 22, at Chicago. - Singled and scored a run Wednesday, June 20, against Rockford.
.330/.374/.436, 1 HR, 13 RBI, 5 2B, 1 3B, 18 R, 9-9 SB - Reached base in all three plate appearances going 2-2 with one walk and two runs scored Saturday, June 23, versus Waterloo. - Currently maintaining a nine-game on-base streak.
1-0, 2.53 ERA, 5 app. (all relief), 10.2 IP, 1 SV, 6 K, 3 BB - Notched his first save of the summer, pitching one scoreless inning Tuesday, June 26, at Mystic. - Allowed only one unearned run with two strike outs over 3.2 innings Thursday, June 28, versus Newport.
.200/.294/.400 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 R, 1-1 SB - Clubbed his first home run of the summer, Wednesday, June 6, at Southland. - Went 2-4 with one walk, one stolen base and one run scored at Illinois Tuesday, June 5.
.373/.421/.529, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 5 2B, 7 R, 1-2 SB - Went 3-5 with three doubles Tuesday, June 26, at Wildwood. - Launched a three-run home run to cap a three-hit game Monday, June 25, against Kirkwood.
.279/.366/.377, 10 RBI, 2 2B, 2 3B, 10 R - Went 3-3 with two runs scored and one RBI Tuesday, June 26, versus Albany. - Had two hits and scored one run Saturday, June 23, at Watertown.
0-0, 3.18 ERA, 7 app. (all relief), 2 SV, 11.1 IP, 19 K, 4 BB - Earned a save after working three scoreless innings with six strike outs Sunday, June 24, against Elmira.
0-0, 7.71 ERA, 4 app. (all relief), 4.2 IP, 3 K, 3 BB - Worked 1.2 scoreless innings Tuesday, June 26, at Beecher. - Allowed one run in one inning of work Wednesday, June 20, versus Chicago.
2-2, 4.37 ERA, 4 app. (three starts), 22.2 IP, 31 K, 13 BB, 2 CG - Allowed seven earned runs over 4 innings, with five strike outs, Saturday, June 23, against Crystal Lake. - Tossed complete game shutouts in each of his first two starts, striking out 24 over 14 innings.
1-1, 5.30 ERA, 5 app. (four starts), 18.2 IP, 1 SV, 21 K, 14 BB - Recorded seven strike outs and one earned run allowed over five innings Saturday, June 23, against Crystal Lake.
0-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 app. (both in relief), 5 IP, 5 K, 1 BB - Worked three scoreless relief innings, with two strike outs, Tuesday, June 26, at Beecher. - Made his 2012 debut, working two scoreless innings Friday, June 22, versus Springfield.
Former Illinois State Baseball Players in the Pros - Stats Updated Wednesday, June 27
Jeremy Accardo | Cleveland Indians | American League - Major League Baseball | Link to Cleveland Bio
0-0, 4.12 ERA, 15 app. (all relief), 19.2 IP, 21 K, 7 BB - Threw one perfect inning, with one strike out, Saturday, June 23, at Houston. - Has appeared in 250 Major League Baseball games, going 10-20 with a 4.21 ERA and a 3.96 FIP.
Neal Cotts | Round Rock Express - Texas Rangers | Triple-A Pacific Coast League | Link to Round Rock Bio
0-0, 1.59 ERA, 5 app. (all relief), 5.2 IP, 2 SV, 7 K, 4 BB - Worked a perfect ninth inning for his second save Monday, June 25, at Iowa. - Struck out the only batter he faced Saturday, June 23, against Iowa.
Has not pitched (60-day disabled list) - Last year went 4-4, 4.94 ERA, 19 app. (11 starts), 82 IP, 82K, 15 BB for the Quad Cities River Bandits, the Midwest League A-affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. - Named a 2010 MiLB.com St. Louis Cardinals Organizational All-Star.
.231/.281/.306, 1 HR, 10 RBI, 6 2B, 1 3B, 19 R, 2-2 SB - Went 1-4 with one double, one RBI and one run scored Sunday, June 24, against West Michigan. - Registered two hits Friday, June 22, at West Michigan.
0-0, 5.40 ERA, 4 app. (all relief), 3.1 IP, 4 K, 3 BB - Recorded his first professional save, working one perfect inning with two strike outs, Saturday, June 23, at Connecticut. - Has worked 2.1 perfect innings since his professional debut, June 19.
.143/.143/.143, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1-1 SB - Went 1-3 with one run scored Monday, June 25, at River City. - Recorded his first professional hit and RBI Tuesday, June 19, at Southern Illinois.
.250/.362/.325, 2 RBI, 3 2B, 6 R, 3-5 SB - Reached base twice with one hit and one w alk Sunday, June 24, at River City. - Went 2-4 with one double and one RBI Thursday, June 21, versus Rockford.
- Reached base six times going 4-4 with a double and two walks Saturday, June 23, at Madison.
- Went 2-4 with one double, one RBI and one run scored Friday, June 22, at Chicago.
- Reached base in all three plate appearances going 2-2 with one walk and two runs scored Saturday, June 23, versus Waterloo. 
- Had three hits, including a double and two runs scored, Sunday, June 17, versus Springfield..
-0, 2.53 ERA, 5 app. (all relief), 10.2 IP, 1 SV, 6 K, 3 BB
- Clubbed his first home run of the summer, Wednesday, June 6, at Southland.
- Went 3-5 with three doubles Tuesday, June 26, at Wildwood. 
- Went 3-3 with two runs scored and one RBI Tuesday, June 26, versus Albany.
- Worked 1.2 scoreless innings Tuesday, June 26, at Beecher.
- Threw one perfect inning, with one strike out, Saturday, June 23, at Houston.
- Worked a perfect ninth inning for his second save Monday, June 25, at Iowa. 
- Last year went 4-4, 4.94 ERA, 19 app. (11 starts), 82 IP, 82K, 15 BB for the Quad Cities River Bandits, the Midwest League A-affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals.
- Went 1-4 with one double, one RBI and one run scored Sunday, June 24, against West Michigan.
- Recorded his first professional save, working one perfect inning with two strike outs, Saturday, June 23, at Connecticut.
- Went 1-3 with one run scored Monday, June 25, at River City. 
