Wong signs with South Coast League team

APPLETON, Wis. -- Andrew Wong, one of the most proflic players in Lawrence University baseball history, has signed with the South Georgia Peanuts.

The Peanuts play in the South Coast League, a six-team independent professional league that begins play this spring.

Wong, a Wauwautosa, Wis., native and former standout at Wauwatosa East High School, graduted from Lawrence in June 2006. A three-time All-Midwest Conference selection and one-time All-Midwest Region selection, Wong finished his career with a .345 batting average.

Wong, who played both shortstop and third base during his career, set school records for hits (154), runs batted in (100), and doubles (35). Wong, who played in 129 games during his career, also belted 13 homers and nine triples to finish with 57 extra-base hits and a .550 slugging percentage.

Also a brilliant student at Lawrence, Wong was a history major and two-time CoSIDA Academic All-America selection.

Wong's manager at South Georgia will be Wally Backman, a 14-year veteran of the Major Leagues. Backman was one of the standouts on the 1986 New York Mets team that won the World Series.

Lawrence begins practice in early February and throws out the first pitch on its season in mid-March when the Vikings travel to North Carolina for 12 games.