GNAC Baseball

2009 Baseball Recruits

Central Washington

Wildcats Sign Four to National Letters of Intent (6/10/08)

Central Washington head coach Desi Storey has signed four right-handed pitchers to National Letters of Intent. Joining the Wildcats for the 2009 season are Richie Carmichael, Jordan Dallas, Ryan Graves and Justin Reed .

Carmichael (La Grande, Ore.) and Reed (Federal Way, Wash. /Decatur HS) will be true freshmen, while Dallas (Finley, Wash. /River View HS/Columbia Basin College) and Graves (Puyallup, Wash./Lower Columbia College) are both junior college transfers. Graves will have three years of eligibility remaining, while Dallas will have two years left.

In addition to his pitching abilities, Carmichael (6-0, 170) is also a middle infielder who is expected to fill a role on the Wildcats similar to that of current CWU player Kevin Walkenhauer. Carmichael, who was class valedictorian with a 4.00 grade-point average at La Grande High School in Oregon , was the Greater Oregon League Pitcher of the Year.

"Richie is an athlete similar to Kevin (Walkenhauer)," Storey said. "He can hit, play up the middle, and can pitch. We're hoping he can fill a dual role for us. He has great arm strength, and if he can come in and have success, that will open some doors for us to be able to recruit in the state of Oregon ."

By joining the Wildcats, Carmichael will be the first player from the state of Oregon to play for the Crimson and Black since left-handed pitcher Kevin Jamison, a native of Woodburn , Ore. , played for CWU in 2001.

Dallas (6-1, 195) prepped at River View High School in Finley, Wash. , graduating in 2006. He played the past two seasons at Columbia Basin College. As a sophomore this past season, Dallas posted a 1-1 record and 4.09 earned-run average in 33 innings of work for the Hawks. He finished his two-year career at CBC with a 2-1 record and 3.60 ERA in 50 innings.

"Jordan was one of the first pitchers we pursued," Storey proclaimed. "We want him to come in and take one of the starting spots we lose. He didn't throw as much at CBC this year as we thought he would, but he is capable of being a number one starter at the Division II level."

Graves (6-0, 205) will be just a sophomore when he suits up for the Wildcats in 2009. The former Puyallup High School standout was a redshirt at Washington State University before starring at Lower Columbia College this past spring. For the Red Devils, he posted a 0-1 record.

"Ryan has good arm strength and size," Storey said. "Like Jordan ( Dallas ), he didn't throw as much as we thought he would this past season, but he has a tremendous upside."

Reed (6-5, 235), like Carmichael , will be a true freshman for the Wildcats. The Decatur High School product was an honorable mention all-South Puget Sound League 4A North selection as a senior this past season. Included among Reed's top performances this were a seven-strikeout, three-hit outing against league-leading Tahoma High School . He also had a 15-strikeout outing as a sophomore against Bethel .

"Justin's a big, physical kid," Storey explained. "He can already throw in the upper-80s, and if he continues to mature, he could very easily be in our (starting) rotation next year. He has great arm strength, and with his upside, Justin could be a pro prospect in a couple of years.

"All four of these guys are pitchers, which is something we have been trying to secure for next year," Storey continued. "We feel that all four can come in and be major contributors on the mound, and with Richie's (Carmichael ) ability to hit and play the middle infield, he can provide a dual role for us."

Montana State Billings

Four More Sign To Play Baseball for Yellowjackets (7/24/08)

Joel Barnett, Jesse Finley, Charlie Johnson and Bryce Thompson are the latest players to sign letters of intent with Montana State University Billings.

Barnett, a native of Belgrade, Mont., can either pitch or play in the infield. He went to Belgrade High School and played legion baseball for the Belgrade Bandits. In addition, he played for the Big Sky Baseball where helped lead his team to the Far West Classic championship in 2007 and was named Defensive Most Valuable Player in 2008.

Finley, a Billings native, earned the Frederick J. Urbaska Baseball Scholarship which is awarded to a Billings Legion player. Finley went to West High School and played for the Billings Scarlets legion team. Finley had a .361 average last season with one home run and 35 RBI while playing third base. He had 13 extra-base hits, including 10 doubles.

Johnson also played at West High School where he played legion baseball for the Billings Lobos. During the 2008 season, Johnson batted .450 with 53 RBIs and eight home runs which is the most home runs in a season for the Lobos.

He was named Offensive Most Valuable Player of the Belgrade Firecracker Tournament in 2007 and earned the Golden Glove Award that same year at the hot corner. In 2008, Johnson was named to the Cody All-Tournament team as well.

Thompson, a Great Falls, Mont., native, played football at Great Falls High School where he was a three-year letterwinner and was a first team all-state selection in 2007. In baseball, Thompson batted .412 with 65 RBIs and 20 extra-base hits this summer for his legion team. In 2006, he helped lead his team to a third place finish at state.

Yellowjackets Add Three Baseball Recruits (7/23/08)

Three more players have signed national letters of intent to play baseball for Montana State University Billings. They include Ryan Dennehy, Brian Dukart and Jordan Lundberg. Earlier this summer Andrew Vennum, a pitcher out of Spokane, Wash., and West Valley High School, signed.

Dennehy, a native of Butte, Mont., played outfield at Miles City Community College where he had a .397 batting average last season and belted in 53 RBIs. Prior to Miles City, Dennehy played for the Butte Muckers/Miners in legion baseball. Dennehy helped lead Miles City to the Region 9 championship and qualified for district in 2008.

In high school, he ran track and played football as well. Dennehy was a first team all-conference and second team all-state defensive back and was a member of the 4X100 relay team that won a state championship.

“Ryan is a big, strong kid that has quite a bit of “pop” in his bat,” MSUB coach Chris Brown said. “He also is a strong student, that works very hard in the classroom, on the field , and in the weight room. We look for him to immediately compete for a starting position and make significant contributions on and off the field."

Dukart, a native of Billings and West High School, played in the infield his last two years at Miles City as well. He played legion baseball for the Billings Scarlets and won the state championship in 2006. Last season at Miles City, Dukart helped lead the Pioneers to a 39-18-1 record and was third on the team in average at a .341 clip. He had 62 hits and 42 RBIs.

“We are thrilled to have Brian join the Yellowjacket baseball program,” Brown said. “He is a good student and his intelligence is evident in the way the he plays the game. He is a “dirtbag” on the field, which we love. He plays with an intensity and desire that is impossible to teach, and that rubs off on everyone. He is a gamer that leaves it all between the lines.”

Lundberg, a right-handed pitcher and a native of Trego, Mont., played the last two years at Grays Harbor Community College in Grays Harbor, Wash., where he pitched 62 1/3 innings, with 26 strikeouts and a 2.45 ERA.

“Jordan will contribute immediately on the mound for us,” Brown said. “He has had success at Greas Harbor in the always tough NWAACC and we look for him to continue that here. He will compete for a weekend spot in the rotation and will give us depth and experience on the mound as well.”

Yellowjackets Sign Player From Spokan'es West Valley (6/6/08)

Andy Vennum, from West Valley High School in Spokane, Wash., has elected to enroll at Montana State University Billings where he will participate in the baseball program.

“We are extremely excited to have Andy join the Yellowjacket baseball family,” MSUB coach Chris Brown said. “He is a very good student that has a tremendous work ethic in the classroom as well as on and off the field.

"Andy has had a lot of success at the high school and legion level and we anticipate that to continue here. He brings a lot to the table and has just started to realize his true potential. We project Andy competing for playing time immediately in the outfield and on the mound.”

Vennum was a first team all-league pitcher as a junior and was named league Most Valuable Player his senior year at West Valley. During his senior season, he had a 7-1 record and a 1.2 ERA. In addition, he hit six home runs and batted .650 leading his team to district and regional championhips.

Northwest Nazarene

Five Sign In Early Period With Crusders (11/21/07)

Five players, including three local freshmen, have signed National Letters of Intent to attend Northwest Nazarene and play baseball for the Crusaders.

The local products are Nathan Bobrowski (Jerome, ID), Sean McDonald (Boise, ID) and Charles Pollock (Boise, ID). Also signing were Boone Farrington from Roseburg, Ore., and Treasure Valley transfer Michael Hobgood (Mountain Home, ID)

Bobrowski ( 6-2, 175) is a shortstop who is ranked 13th in the 2008 class of Idaho/Montana baseball players as chosen by Baseball Northwest.

On pace to become the valedictorian for the Jerome High School 2008 senior class, he is the team captain of the Tigers after being awarded first-team all-Great Basin Conference (4A) honors, second-team all area, and becoming a member of Team Idaho and the Baseball Northwest all-tournament team during the 2007 high school and summer seasons. Nate was recently named to the 2008 Under Armor Pre-Season High School All-American team.

McDonald (5-9, 155) is an outfield and right handed pitcher from Boise High School who was ranked 32nd in the 2008 class of Idaho/Montana baseball players, chosen by Baseball Northwest.

Named the Boise High School outstanding hitter and outstanding pitcher for the 2007 season, he was also named the Boise High Most Valuable Player for 2005, 2006 and 2007. A first-team all-Southern Idaho Conference (5A) outfielder, he was also named to the all-tournament team at the Eugene Invitational, MVP of the James A. Dodge Invitational tournament, and was a member of Team Idaho during the summer season.

Pollock (6-1, 180) is a left-handed pitcher from Boise High School and Hobgood is a right-handed pitcher from Treasure Valley Community College, where he posted a 7-3 record with one save, an era of 2.50 and a 73-26 strikeout to walk ratio.

Farrington (5-9, 150) is a middle infielder. Expected to be the valedictorian of Roseburg High School this spring, he is a member of the National Honor Society, National Honor Roll and was a first-team all-Southwest Conference (6A) pick in 2007, a second-team all-SWC pick as a sophomore in 2006 and is Baseball Northwest's 27th-ranked player in the state of Oregon.

Western Oregon

Another McCarthy To Play Baseball at Western Oregon (11/15/07)

Crescent Valley High School senior Thomas McCarthy has signed a National Letter of Intent to play baseball at Western Oregon University in 2009. McCarthy signed on the first day allowed per NCAA rules.

If the name sounds familiar to Western Oregon fans, it's for good reason. Thomas' brother Greg McCarthy was a four-year starter at WOU leaving the program in 2005 as the Wolves' all-time RBI and doubles leader.

Greg was the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year in '05, and was a first-team NCAA Division II all-west region selection. He went on to play two seasons in the San Francisco Giants organization.

Thomas earned first team All-Mid Valley Conference honors in 2007 as a junior (utility). He also was a honorable mention all-state (5A) pick. He hit .441 and drove in 20 runs at Crescent Valley.

Last summer, the 6-2, 190-pounder hit .314 for Richey's Market in Corvallis and drove in 32 runs. He also stars for the CVHS hoops team, earning honorable mention All-MVC honors last winter.

"Thomas is a great addition for us," said Wolves head coach Jeremiah Robbins. "He has a chance to be the kind of hitter that Greg was during his career here."

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