Miller, Martin enjoying baseball in Alaska

Trey Martin earned a utility spot on the All-CCIW team in 2011. Wheaton (Ill.) athletics photo

Wheaton's Ryan Miller and Trey Martin are contributing to the success of the Athletes in Action Fire, a summer wood-bat team in the Alaska League. Miller has moved around the diamond, playing in the infield and outfield while Martin has been playing first or third when not on the mound.

"It's been great being here and has been a lot of fun playing competition baseball," said Miller.

AIA head coach Bret Butler, also the head coach for Pitt-Bradford, has a lot of praise for the duo from Wheaton.

"Ryan is a jack-of-all-trades for us," said Butler. "He has the athletic ability in this league to get away with playing multiple positions."

"Big Trey has struggled early but has gotten stronger as the season has gone on," said Butler. "He has figured out that he can pitch at this level."

This is Miller's second trip to Alaska playing for the AIA fire. After appearing in half of the games in 2009, Miller is among the leaders in games played this summer.

"This year I am more prepared," said Miller. "I feel like I have more experience under my belt and I am use to seeing the higher velocities so it is not as much of a surprise."

Ryan Miller will return for his senior season in 2012. Wheaton (Ill.) athletics photo

Martin is making his first trip to play in the Alaska League and is learning to play against D-I competition.

"I like it up here," said Martin. "The quality of of competition is better all around. Every pitcher we face and every hitter I face is good.  It is a difference coming from our level."

In 2011, Miller was the running game for the Thunder as he had almost as many stolen bases on the season (16) as the rest of the team (25.

"It is humbling coming up here with the pitchers quicker to the plate and catchers with more pop to second" said Miller. " But on the whole, the catchers we see in the CCIW are not much different."

Both Martin and Miller agree that their trip this summer will help them in 2012. "Once you see the breaking stuff up here, going back to Wheaton, not seeing as tight sliders or the higher velocities with the slow change-up it makes all the difference in the world," said Miller.

"The greatest thing I learned coming here is that all the athletes are comparable," added Miller. "Sure the pitchers throw harder but on the whole, all the top athletes at D-III can play here."