JOLIET, Ill. – Former University of West Alabama baseball standout Rob Dahlberg has signed a professional baseball contract with the Joliet Jackhammers of the Northern League. A native of Gilbertown, Ala., Dahlberg is batting .317 in 18 games with 13 hits, including three doubles and eight RBI. He is slugging .390 with a .378 on-base percentage.

“It’s been a transition. I’ve had to learn some things in game action, which has been different” Dahlberg said in a phone interview. “I’m now playing second base and batting with a wooden bat. My first couple of plate appearances were tough and I became really down on myself, but the veterans on the team took me aside and helped me learn what I was doing wrong.”

“The biggest responsibility as a middle infielder is learning to hold runners on base,” said Dahlberg. “Things like tandem relays, double plays and working with pitchers have all come in game action, but now I’ve become a mainstay at second base and things are going much better.”

Dahlberg concluded his four-year career as the school’s all-time leader in games played, at-bats, runs, hits and stolen bases and is ranked in the top five all-time in seven additional categories. Dahlberg finished the 2009 season as the team leader in hits with 81 and stolen bases with 30 along with being second on the team in RBI with 60. He was a two-time Rawlings/American Baseball Coaches Association All-American, a two-time Daktronics All-American and a Collegiate Baseball Writers All-American.

In addition, he was named to the Gulf South Conference East Division First Team three consecutive seasons and has received all-conference honors all four years along with being named the 2008 GSC East Division Player of the Year and 2006 GSC East Division Freshman of the Year.

For more information about Dahlberg and the Jackhammers, please visit http://www.jackhammerbaseball.com/.