ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Maryland baseball signee Zach Helgeson, a 6-foot-4-inch, 215-pound first baseman from Roanoke, Va., showcased his prodigious home-run hitting power last Saturday, belting a total of 16 long balls over two rounds to win the International Power Showcase High School Home Run Derby at the Tampa Bay Devil Rays' Tropicana Field.

Helgeson credited patience as the key to winning the event.

"If you make a couple outs, you don't want to press yourself because then you will continue to make the same mistakes," said Helgeson in a press release on power-showcase.com. "You want to take a couple pitches, relax and refocus on making solid contact."

Among others, Helgeson beat out Vanderbilt signee Matt Marquis in the competition.

Helgeson is rated the 19th-best player in the state of Virginia by IMPACT. Last season at Hidden Valley, Helgeson batted .460 with 10 home runs and 43 RBIs. Helgeson also dominated American Legion ball a year ago, batting .500 and hitting five homers in only 13 games.

Helgeson, who is ranked No. 1 in his academic class, is one of five players from Virginia that will join the Terrapin program next year.

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