Hulsizer Selected to Take Part in College Home Run Derby in Omaha

A portion of this story is courtesy of Intersport.

MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Morehead State's Niko Hulsizer has been selected to the roster for the eighth annual College Home Run Derby at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Neb., on Saturday, July 1, Intersport announced today. Hulsizer is one of six college baseball players selected for the event that will air live on ESPN2 at 9 p.m. ET. He was invited to take part in the College Home Run Derby after being recognized as one of the top power hitters in college baseball.
 
Hulsizer, the Ohio Valley Conference Co-Player of the Year, ranks second in the nation with 27 home runs, which is a Morehead State and Ohio Valley Conference single-season record. He also collected 193 total bases, which ranked as the best total in OVC and school history. With 21 doubles as well, he became the first player in program history with at least 20 homers and 20 doubles in the same season.
 
Hulsizer was named First-Team All-America by Collegiate Baseball, National Collegiate Baseball Writer's Association, Perfect Game/Rawlings and College Sports Madness.
 
Among national rankings entering the College World Series, Hulsizer ranked first in RBI per game (1.39), second in RBI (82), second in slugging percentage (.775) and total bases and sixth in runs scored (69).
 
Hulsizer finished with a .349 batting average in the Eagles' 59 games and had a .435 on-base percentage while also recording six outfield assists. He had 87 total hits, tallied 28 multi-hit games and also had 19 multiple-RBI efforts.
 
The annual College Home Run Derby showcases some of college baseball's premier sluggers, all of whom have ranked among the nation's home run leaders during the 2017 season. Former champions include current New York Yankees slugger and rookie of the year front-runner Aaron Judge who leads Major League Baseball in home runs with 23 (through 65 games played).
 
A complete list of participants will be released at a later date.
 
The College Home Run Derby includes three rounds of play: round 1 featuring all contestants, round 2 featuring the hitters with the top four scores after round 1, and round 3 featuring the top two sluggers after round 2.
 
Contestants in each round will have a timed period of four minutes to hit as many home runs as they can, rather than the traditional 10-out method. Once the timed period concludes, contestants will have one final opportunity to hit a home run with the "Bonus Ball." If successful, two additional home runs will be added to the contestant's total score. A record 185 home runs were hit during the 2016 competition when this timed format was used for the first time. The previous record was 128 set in 2014.
 
Individual tickets for the 2017 College Home Run Derby & Omaha World-Herald Fireworks are $8 for children (ages 3-12), $12 for adults, or a 'Family Four-Pack' for $36. Tickets may be purchased in-person from the CenturyLink Center Omaha box office, by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000, or online at Ticketmaster.com. Service fees will apply to those tickets purchased over the phone or online, but not to those purchased in-person. For groups of 20 or more, visit http://www.collegehomerunderby.com.

About Intersport
Since 1985, Intersport has been an award-winning innovator and leader in the creation of sports, lifestyle and entertainment-based marketing platforms. With expertise in Sponsorship Consulting, Experiential Marketing, Hospitality, Customer Engagement, Content Marketing, Productions and Sports Properties, this Chicago-based Marketing & Media Solutions Company helps their clients to create ideas, content and experiences that attract and engage passionate audiences. To learn more about Intersport, visit www.intersportnet.com, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter (@IntersportBuzz).