June 7, 2006

BEAUMONT - William Delage and Michael Ambort were taken late on Tuesday and Chuckie Platt, Derrick Gordon and C.J. Ebarb were selected Wednesday in the 2006 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

Delage, a first-team All-Southland Conference selection, was selected in the 14th round (431st) by the Cleveland Indians. He posted a 9-4 record with a 3.12 earned run average in 17 starts for the Cardinals this season. He struck out 102 in 109.2 innings pitched and limited opponents to a .251 batting average.

A senior left-hander from Nederland, Delage finished his career with a 26-9 record with a 2.89 ERA in 70 appearances. He is the school's all-time strikeouts leader with 271 and in games started with 51. He ranks third all-time in innings pitched (330 2/3), tied for fourth in wins (26), sixth in winning percentage (.742) and seventh in ERA (2.89).

Ambort, a preseason All-America selection after being named SLC Hitter of the Year in 2005, played in six games for Lamar this season before having season-ending elbow surgery. He had nine hits in 23 at-bats (.391) with four runs scored, two doubles and five runs batted in. He was taken in the 18th round (548th) by the Oakland A's.

Delage and Ambort joined junior right-hander Steve Macfarland, who was taken in the ninth round by the Pittsburgh Pirates, as first-day draftees.

Chuckie Platt, a senior right-hand pitcher from Sante Fe, was taken in the 23rd round (689) by the Chicago Cubs. He posted a 3-3 record with a 3.63 ERA and two saves in a team-high 24 appearances. He struck out 33 in 39.2 innings pitched.

Derrick Gordon, a junior left-hander from Beaumont, was taken in the 26th round (788th) by the Oakland A's. He posted a 4-4 record with a 5.32 ERA and three saves in 21 appearances, nine starts. He struck out 65 in 64.1 innings pitched. For his career, he is 15-14 with a 3.75 ERA and three saves in 59 games pitched, 34 starts. He struck out 221, which ranks fifth on the school's all-time list, in 223.1 innings pitched.

Ebarb, a senior catcher from Jasper, was pressed into service due to Ambort's injury and responded with a solid season that included being named second-team All-SLC. He batted .286 with 37 runs scored, seven home runs and 52 runs batted in, which ranked third on the team. He led the team and ranked second in the SLC with 20 doubles, which tied for the sixth-best single-season total in school history. Ebarb was taken in the 41st round (1230th) by the Toronto Blue Jays.