Huber, a 2007 EIU graduate, is in his third year of pro ball in the Pittsburgh Pirates' farm system and currently playing for the Lynchburg Hillcats of the Carolina League (Class A Advanced). Selected by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 48th overall in the Compensation Round A of June's Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, Kehrer is closing out his first year of pro ball with the Orem Owlz of the Pioneer League (Rookie League).
Despite seeing limited action in the month of September, Huber enjoyed a big game in the Sept. 13 decisive game five of the divisional round playoff series against the Wilmington Blue Rocks (Kansas City Royals affiliate). At the plate, he went 2-for-3 with two doubles and a run scored. He also threw out a pair of runners at the plate from left field, bringing the fourth and sixth innings to an end. Both outfield assists proved to be key plays in the game, as Lynchburg won 5-2 despite being out hit 10-6.
The Carolina League Championship Series opened Monday (Sept. 14) with the Hillcats defeating the Salem Red Sox, 9-2. After game two Tuesday (Sept. 15) evening at Lynchburg, the best-of-five series shifts to Salem, which has home-field advantage and is slated to host the final three games. Huber did not play Monday and was not in the starting lineup Tuesday.
Both Lynchburg and Salem defeated an opponent with more regular-season wins in the first round. Wilmington's 84 victories were tops in the eight-team league. Lynchburg finished the regular season 73-66 and qualified for the playoffs after winning the Northern Division first-half title. Salem was under .500 at 63-72 during the regular season. The Red Sox affiliate swept the Winston-Salem Dash (Chicago White Sox affiliate), which had won both the Southern Division first-half and second-half titles, in the divisional round.
Kehrer started Orem's 7-4 playoff win against the Ogden Raptors (Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate) Sunday (Sept. 13). The Owlz defeated Ogden twice over the weekend to advance to the best-of-three Pioneer League Championship Series.
Orem takes on the Missoula Osprey (Arizona Diamonbacks affiliate) for the title of the eight-team Pioneer League. Missoula has home-field advantage and hosts games two and three of the series Friday and Saturday (Sept. 18 and 19).
After working four innings Sunday, Kehrer could take the mound in game two or three. Even though he received a no decision in his last start, Kehrer left the game with his team leading 4-3 heading into the top of the fifth. He struck out seven of the 18 batters he faced and issued only one walk.
Orem won the Pioneer League's Southern Division with a 51-25 record, highlighted by an impressive 31-7 mark in the second half of the season. Missoula finished second in the North Division with a 40-36 record and knocked off the Great Falls Voyagers (Chicago White Sox affiliate), two games to one, in the divisional playoffs.
Kehrer ranked eighth in the Pioneer League with 57 strikeouts this summer. He posted a 3-3 record in his 14 starts.
Jordan Kreke, another former Panther that was selected in the 2009 draft, helped lead his Danville Braves to the Appalachian League championship title earlier this month. In the spring, Kehrer and Kreke were key members of EIU's Ohio Valley Conference regular-season title.
