BILLINGS, MONT. – Ryan Hamme made his professional baseball debut Tuesday night, then earned his first start and recorded his first base hit one evening later for the Great Falls (Mont.) Voyagers.

The 2009 first-team all-Atlantic Sun Conference outfielder at Campbell University, started Wednesday’s game in right field for the Chicago White Sox’ affiliate in the Pioneer (Rookie) League.  After going hitless in his first three at-bats of the night, Hamme lined a single to left field in the top of the eighth inning for his first professional hit.

He stands 1-for-5 at the plate through two games as the Voyagers have split their first two outings in the 76-game Pioneer League schedule against the Billings (Mont.) Mustangs, an affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds.

A product of Wilmington, N.C., Hamme, finished his final collegiate season in ’09 with a .438 average, fifth-highest in the country and tops in the Atlantic Sun Conference.  He led the nation in doubles per game (0.59) and ranked sixth in overall doubles (26 in 43 outings). 

He was the 943rd overall pick in the June first-year draft and was taken in the 31st round by the White Sox.  Among Hamme’s teammates is first baseman/DH Todd Gossage, son of Hall of Famer reliever Rich Gossage.

Hamme also ranked eighth in the country with a .527 on-base percentage and 10th in runs scored per game (1.39).

The eight-team Pioneer League also includes the Missoula (Mont.) Osprey (Diamondbacks), Helena (Mont.) Brewers, Ogden (Utah) Raptors (Dodgers), Orem (Utah) Owlz (Angels), Casper (Wyo.) Ghosts (Rockies) and Idaho Falls (Idaho) Chuckars (Royals).

Three of Chicago’s six minor league affiliates are located in North Carolina, and two others play in leagues that have North Carolina members.  The White Sox’ Rookie League affiliates are the Bristol (Va.) White Sox of the Appalachian League and Great Falls.

Both of the White Sox’ single-A clubs, the Kannapolis Intimidators of the South Atlantic League and the Winston-Salem Dash of the Carolina League, lie in North Carolina.  The Birmingham (Ala.) Barons of the Southern League are Chicago’s Double-A club, while the Charlotte (N.C.) Knights of the International League are the Triple-A affiliate.

Hamme joined a number of other Camel alumni to play in the Pioneer League, including Randy Hood (Brewers Free Agent 1990), Matt Buckley (Reds 25th round 1996), Daniel Hall (Brewers 15th round 2000), Byron Batson (Brewers 42nd round 2000) and Nic Carter (Brewers 4th round 2002).

Daily updates on Hamme and the Voyagers, as well as all minor league baseball teams, are available on-line at MILB.com.