In the Pros Update: Michael Schweiss
NORMAL, Ill. – University of Dallas baseball alumni pitcher Michael Schweiss ('12) has continued his pro career with the organization that he signed with in the summer of 2013, the Normal CornBelters. A member of the independent professional Frontier League, Schweiss returns for his third pro season, all with Normal.
Schweiss has made a large impact for the Belters, who are 27-19 at this juncture of the campaign, with team-highs in several pitching categories. The native of Parker, Colorado, has made 10 appearances (all starts) on the bump for Normal. He boasts team-highs in strikeouts with 68 and innings pitched with 65. The right-hander has totaled four wins, which matches a club-most, to spin a 3.32 earned run average (ERA).
On the season, Schweiss has logged at least six innings in eight contests, while allowing three earned runs or less in all but one outing. Twice the graduate of Dallas has tossed eight frames to tie season-longs, and combined to allow four runs on nine hits with four walks and 14 punch outs in the pair of triumphs.
Schweiss signed with the Belters in 2013 after completing his college career at University of Dallas, where he holds career records with 68 games pitched and nine saves. He also threw the most games in single-season for the Crusaders with 25 in 2011. Schweiss also reflected shining success on that spring with a 1.03 ERA to rank third among National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III pitchers.
The four-year letterwinner garnered plenty of accolades during his playing span with the Crusaders including: 2010 and 2011 Association of Division III Independents' First Team, 2011 D3Baseball.com Honorable Mention All-America, 2011 United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) All-America, 2011 Co-Team Most Valuable Player and 2012 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) Honorable Mention.
Schweiss continues to be involved with the Dallas program, serving as an assistant coach in the 2013 before signing with the Belters. He also sat in the dugout this past campaign to help guide the Crusaders as a volunteer assistant. Schweiss sports No. 11 this year with Normal just as he did with the Navy and White in his collegiate career.