June 16, 2009

CHICAGO- UIC senior right-handed pitcher Derrick Miramontes (Durham, Calif./Durham H.S./Butte College) signed a professional baseball contract to pitch for the Southern Illinois Miners of the Frontier League this past weekend.

Miramontes was quickly put to work by the Miners, tossing 1.2 innings of scoreless relief on Monday, June 15 in his pro debut against the Gateway Grizzlies. The Miners won the game, 10-6, in extra innings.

The Miners are an independent professional baseball team based in Marion, Ill.

Miramontes was the Flames' closer this past season, going 6-2 with seven saves and posting a 2.58 earned run average in 45.1 innings of work out of the bullpen.

In 2008 Miramontes was an All-Horizon League Second Team pick and the League's Newcomer of the Year as a starter, going 6-2 with a team-best 3.79 ERA in 19 total outings.

During his two-year tenure with the Flames, Miramontes posted a 12-4 record with a career ERA of 3.41 in 142.2 innings over the course of 44 appearances, including 13 starts.

Miramontes joins fellow UIC senior right-hander Adam Worthington (Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township H.S.) as Flames headed to the professional ranks this summer.

The UIC baseball team has had at least one student-athlete move on to play professional ball in each of the last nine years.

Fans can listen to podcasts featuring exclusive interviews with UIC head coaches, staff and student-athletes in two ways:

1. Download the free UIC Athletics Widget and click on the "UIC Flames Podcasts" link

2. Download podcasts for free on iTunes by searching "UIC Flames"