Tuesday, January 8, 2008

TUSCULUM BASEBALL RECEIVES 13 COMMITMENTS DURING EARLY SIGNING PERIOD

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum College baseball team has received 13 commitments during the early signing period, announced Pioneer head coach Doug Jones. This year’s group includes student-athletes from seven different states, including Tennessee (4), North Carolina (3), Florida (1), Texas (1), Montana (1), Virginia (1) and Georgia (1).

“I’m very pleased with what were able to accomplish during the early period,” said Jones. “We were able to add a combination of experienced players with a solid group of young players that have a lot of potential. These young men are excellent students and they each possess the type of character that we want in representing our program and Tusculum College.”

Rolondo Bonner, an outfielder from Garner, N.C., batted .397 with a pair of home runs at Florence Darlington Tech this past fall. Last year, he recorded nine doubles and 20 RBI to go along with a .376 batting average. “Rolondo is a solid player who plays the game hard all the time,” Jones said. “He will be an impact player in our program.”

Seth Wooten, a pitcher from Yadkinville, N.C., will join the program after completing his stint at Surry Community College. In 2006, Wooten posted a 5-1 record on the hill, with a pair of saves and a 1.91 earned run average. “Seth is a big right hander with a very good arm. He missed last season with an injury, but has responded well this fall. We expect Seth to be a front line guy in our rotation.”

Tyson Hickman, an outfielder from Pampa, Texas, will be coming to TC via Frank Phillips Community College. In 2007, he earned team most valuable player honors while hitting .362 with 11 doubles, five triples and 30 RBI. He also recorded 15 stolen bases while earning All-Conference honors and was a Texas/New Mexico All-Star. “Tyson is a very good outfielder with above average speed. He works very hard in every aspect of the game and should be a big part our program for the next two years.”

Elliot Burrow, a catcher, from Great Falls, Mont., is a teammate of Hickman’s at Frank Phillips CC. Burrow hit .292 last season, with four doubles and 14 RBI. “Elliot is one of the best defensive catchers we have seen,” added Jones. “He does an excellent job of handling pitchers and is a leader on the field.”

Aaron Guinn, a utility player from Norris, Tenn., is completing his prep career at nearby Pigeon Forge High School. Guinn is expected to see action at first base the outfield and on the mound. While playing at Anderson County High School, he earned All-District and All-Region honors in 2006 and 2007. In 2007, he batted .382 with 12 doubles, four home runs and 42 RBI. The right-hander went 8-0 on the mound with a 1.90 ERA. He was named to the 2006 TBR Super Sophomore Team and the 2007 All-TBR Two-Way Team. Guinn also played quarterback on the football team and was a recipient of the Pride of Pigeon Forge Award. “Aaron is a young man that we have been watching the last couple of years,” Jones added. “He’s an excellent athlete and his best years are ahead of him. He’s a player that keeps getting better and we expect a lot of good things from him.”

Craig Goodman, a third baseman and pitcher from Clearwater, Fla., has earned All-County distinction at Clearwater High School. In 2007, he batted .381 with nine doubles and posted a 5-2 pitching record to go along with a 1.77 ERA. Goodman is also the recipient of the Ricky Teal Pitching Award. “Craig is a solid two-way performer and we expect him to come in be a contributor both on the mound and in the field,” said Jones.

Brett Mercurio, II, a shortstop from Loxahatchee, Fla., boasts a career prep batting average of .451 at Trinity Christian Academy. Mercurio has recorded for 52 RBI, 28 stolen bases and a .965 fielding percentage. As a 12-year old, he played in the Babe Ruth/Cal Ripken World Series and was named to the All-World Team and won a Golden Glove Award. “Brett is an outstanding athlete who has a very bright future. We expect him to come in and contribute right away.”

Ragan Rudisill, a native of Forest, Va., has seen action in both the infield and outfield at Jefferson Forest High School. He enters his final prep campaign with a .340 career average, while earning All-District First Team honors and was named to the News & Advance All-Area Second Team. Rudisill hit .510 for his Virginia Cavalier summer showcase team and .405 with the Central Virginia fall showcase team. He was selected to the 2008 Under Armour® Pre-Season All-America Team. “Ragan is a very good athlete who we believe will develop into a very good college player.”

Britt Shaw, a pitcher from Athens, Tenn., tossed eight complete games and posted a 0.66 ERA at McMinn Central High School. During his prep career, he has tallied a 15-8 record with five saves, 12 complete games and a 2.14 ERA. The right-hander was named the 2007 5-AA District Pitcher of the Year and is a two-time All-District and District All-Tournament selection. “Britt has had an outstanding career at Central. He has pitched in a lot of big games and we think Britt will continue to improve and have a chance to be a very good pitcher for us.”

Jacob Dixon, a right-handed pitcher from Roanoke Rapids High School (N.C.), has pitched a total of 96 innings of the last two years with 105 strikeouts and a 1.47 ERA. “Jacob is a quality right hander with very good command. He should have a chance to pitch for us immediately.”

Elijah Turner, an infielder from Corrington, Tenn., batted .426 with 19 doubles, two triples, five home runs and 40 RBI at Gibbs High School. Turner recorded a dozen stolen bases, while earning All-State accolades. He is a two-time All-District honoree and was named to the All-Region squad in 2007. He was tabbed to the Knoxville News-Sentinel All-Prep Extra squad and is a nominee for the Collegiate Baseball Magazine All-Nation Prep Team. Turner established single-season records for hits (63), at-bats (148) and doubles (19) at Gibbs HS. “Elijah is a versatile player who can play a lot of different spots. He has shown the ability to hit at a very high level.”

Taylor Rakes, a right-handed pitcher from Norcross, Ga., posted a 5-2 record and a 3.12 ERA at Norcross High School. Rakes also recorded 18 strikeouts, while walking only seven in 2007. He went 7-1 with a 2.75 ERA and 30 strikeouts with his summer team in 2007. “Taylor is a quality right handed pitcher who has a chance to develop into a solid collegiate pitcher.”

Tyler Collins earned All-Conference and All-State accolades at Morristown East High School. The Morristown, Tenn. native has seen action on the mound and in the infield. Collins recorded a 4-3 mark with a 2.19 ERA and 49 strikeouts. At the plate, he posted 13 doubles, three triples and a pair of home runs as he batted .357. He is also a peer tutor for the Special Olympics. “Tyler is a tremendous competitor both on the mound and in the field,” added Jones. He’s a young man that has continued to improve each year and we expect that to continue at Tusculum.”

In 2007, Tusculum broke or tied 45 team and individual records, including six SAC marks.  The Pioneers tallied an impressive 50-14 record and finished third at the NCAA Division II South Regional.  The Pioneers' 50 wins are the most in school and conference history.  Tusculum captured its third straight league championship, while advancing to the NCAA Tournament for a third time in five years.

Tusculum College, located in Greeneville, Tenn., is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and is a NCAA Division II member of the South Atlantic Conference which is comprised of nine colleges and universities in Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina.

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