UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (June 16, 2003) - Zack Smithlin (Fair Lawn, N.J.), Penn State's all-time stolen base leader, signed a minor league contract on Sunday to play with the St. Louis Cardinals.

The speedy centerfielder will report to the New Jersey Cardinals, a short-season Class A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, which plays out of Skylands Park in Augusta, N.J. The team, which is a member of the New York-Penn League, begins its season on Tuesday and will play 73 games in 76 days. "When the (Major League Baseball Amateur Draft) went by and nothing happened, I was obviously upset," Smithlin said. "But the calls started coming in. I was supposed to have tryouts with the (New York) Mets, (Pittsburgh) Pirates and (Philadelphia) Phillies this past weekend. But the Cardinals called and wanted to sign me without even trying out. I was ecstatic to sign and the fact that I'll be playing for the New Jersey Cardinals near my hometown - It was just the cherry on top.

"I've been to games (at Skylands Park) before with my family. Now I get to play there and that makes it even more special."

Smithlin, a tri-captain on this season's squad, hit .336 during his Nittany Lion career with 123 runs scored, 190 hits, 18 doubles, 89 RBI and a school-record 62 stolen bases in 73 attempts in 187 games played. His 190 hits are tied with co-captain Mike DeRenzo (Murrysville, Pa.) for seventh in Penn State career annals while he is 10th on the games-played list.

Smithlin hit .347 in 2003 with 32 runs scored, 60 hits, six doubles, four triples, 29 RBI and 24 stolen bases to help lead the Nittany Lions to an overall record of 29-28 and 17-15 in the Big Ten. He had seven hits and scored five runs in the Big Ten Tournament, in which the Nittany Lions took third place.

Junior Clayton Hamilton (Beaver Falls, Pa.) was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates with the 615th overall pick in the 21st round of the 2003 MLB Amateur Draft. Hamilton can sign with the Pirates or he can elect to return to the Nittany Lions for his senior season.

For more information on Penn State baseball, visit www.GoPSUsports.com.