MILWAUKEE – After finishing his collegiate career with the Panthers this past spring, Luke Hansel has signed to play professionally with the Lake Country DockHounds.
 
He joins the DockHounds, based in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, who are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official MLB Partner League.
 
The 12-team league was founded in 2005, with Lake Country playing in the East Division along with teams from Illinois, Indiana, Texas, and Wisconsin, with the regular season lasting from early May through early September.
 
"Luke is someone who possesses tremendous drive and work ethic, so what he's been able to do by signing a professional contract, is a testament to that," commented Milwaukee head coach Shaun Wegner. "I'm happy he got his opportunity to play professional baseball and gets to show people why he deserves a chance to get picked up by an organization."
 
Hansel was a Horizon All-League First Team selection this spring and led the conference with a 3.41 earned run average, while he held opposing batters to a .229 batting average. He led all starting pitchers with 89 2/3 innings and 84 strikeouts, while allowing just 41 total runs and 34 earned runs to score.
 
In his two years with the Panthers, Hansel posted a 4.54 earned run average in 29 starts and 30 appearances. He struck out 150 batters and won 10 games while tossing 156 2/3 innings.
 
During his first month with the DockHounds, he has made six starts and has a pair of wins with 29 strikeouts over 36 innings of work. The DockHounds will be in Kansas City through this weekend and return home for six-straight home games from July 30 through August 4.
 
Hansel had previously been pitching with the Lakeshore Chinooks of the Northwoods League, a collegiate summer baseball league prior to his signing with the DockHounds.