The Rogers State University Hillcat baseball team has added 26 new players, which includes a mix of high school signees, as well as junior college and college transfers.
Joining the 13 returning players from last year are 18 transfer players and eight high school signees. The team will play a series of fall scrimmages and games against area college and junior college teams in preparation for its spring schedule.
RSU began competing as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in fall 2005, and the team posted a 12-24 this spring during its first season of NAIA competition. With this year’s strong recruiting class, RSU baseball head coach Ron Bradley said he expects a turn-around in fortunes this year.
“We’re two or three deep at every position and our fall schedule will provide an opportunity for our players to compete for varsity playing time this spring,” said RSU baseball head coach Ron Bradley. “That competition and depth should help us be more productive this spring.”
As a first-year member of the NAIA, RSU was ineligible for post-season play during the spring 2006 season. The team has its sights on becoming eligible for post-season competition during the upcoming spring schedule, Bradley said.
The fall baseball schedule is scheduled to include the following doubleheader games: Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, Sept. 9 at Miami; Connors State College, Sept. 13 at Warner; Seminole State College, Sept. 28 at Warner; and Northeastern Oklahoma College-Enid, Sept. 30 at the RSU baseball field in Claremore. The baseball team will conclude the fall season Oct. 6-8 by competing in the Northeastern (Okla.) State University Fall Classic in Tahlequah.
The Sept. 30 game against NOC-Enid will mark the Hillcats first competition at the new, on-campus baseball field constructed on the Claremore campus.
“Our new facilities have been a real draw for our recruitment process, especially among players in other parts of the state and out-of-state recruits,” Bradley said.
High school signees this fall, listed by position and hometown, include: Grant Cosby, right-handed pitcher, Fayetteville, Ark.; Greg Harmon, first base, Claremore; Tyler Harold, outfield/second base, Oologah; Tyler Malaske, left-handed pitcher, Pawhuska; Creston Moon, left-handed pitcher, Prague; Michael Robins, catcher/pitcher, Berryhill; Ryan Salisbury, shortstop, Fayetteville, Ark.; and Josh Walker, pitcher/first base, Collinsville.
RSU’s junior college transfers include seven players who helped lead Connors State College to the Junior College World Series this spring, Bradley said.
The Hillcats’ junior college and college transfer players, listed by player, high school and college/junior college experience, include: Horacio Aldrete, left-handed pitcher, Whittier, California, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M; Zach Bacon, third base, Tulsa Memorial, Northern Oklahoma College-Enid; Tim Gwartney, outfielder, Pryor, Connors State College; Tyler Henderson, catcher, Tulsa Memorial High School, Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College; Reid Hesket, left-handed pitcher, Verdigris, Rose State College; Brent Hill, right-handed pitcher, Tulsa Hale High School, Southwestern Oklahoma State University; Blake Hollingsworth, utility infielder, Pryor, Connors State College; Ben Krafft, right-handed pitcher, Tulsa Edison High School, Pratt (Kan.) Community College; Ryan Littlejohn, outfielder, Verdigris, Allen County (Kan.) Community College; Andrew Nelson, third base/first base, Tuttle, Bacone College; Andrew Sherman, third base/first base, Verdigris, Rose State College; Eric Shulz, catcher, Kansas City, Allen County Community College; Spencer Smith, first base/third base, Vian, Connors State College; Greg Speed, outfielder, Thornhill, Ontario, Canada, Connors State College; Brett Trzcinski, right-handed pitcher, Muskogee, Connors State College; Frank Vaughn, second base/short stop, Colorado Springs, Colo., NEO; John Vaughn, catcher/outfielder, Colorado Springs, Brigham Young University; Tyler Whitaker, right-handed pitcher, Collinsville, Connors State College.
Returning players include: Jake Brumble, second base/shortstop, Jenks, Hutchinson Community College; Eric Bunch, catcher/outfielder, Collinsville, Labette Community College; Dusty Carriger, left-handed pitcher, Claremore Sequoyah, Cowley Community College; Dustin Gunnells, right-handed pitcher, Claremore Sequoyah, Coffeyville Community College; Travis Harold, outfielder, Oologah; Bryan Hollenbeck, right-handed pitcher, Collinsville, Cowley (Kan.) Community College; Brett Hollingsworth, first base, Pryor; Todd Koscheski, first base, Claremore, Coffeyville Community College; David Munoz, right-handed pitcher, Tulsa Memorial; Blake Sunderland, third base, Coweta, Labette Community College; Zach Taylor, right-handed pitcher, Bishop Kelley, New Mexico Military Academy; Chris Treibt, right-handed pitcher, Collinsville, NSU; and Matt York, freshman, left-handed pitcher, Claremore.
Bradley, who joined RSU in 2003, has coached the RSU baseball team since its inception. He is a member of the Oklahoma Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame and led four teams to win state baseball championships while at Claremore, Jenks and West Fork (Ark.) high schools. Robert Brown, Aaron Gentry and Wes Vrska return this season as assistant coaches.
For more information on RSU Hillcat baseball, call (918) 343-7782.