Tabor signs six baseball players
Tabor College head baseball coach John Sparks has been in rare form in the recruiting realm this off-season.
Sparks has signed six new players to his team for the upcoming season.
Tony Steiner of Gillette, Wyo., a 5'10", 165-pound second baseman and pitcher, was the first to commit to Tabor to play baseball.
Steiner batted over .300 the past two seasons for the Gillette Post 42 Roughriders, who finished 37-21 overall and 15-1 in their conference.
The second baseman is also skilled with his glove, committed just two errors in 58 games this past season. As a pitcher, Steiner held a 1.20 ERA on the mound of the No. 1 ranked team in Wyoming's American Legion Baseball league.
"We are very excited to sign Tony," Sparks said. "We feel as if he will strengthen our middle infield with his defensive ability. He's also proven he can hit the ball against some outstanding competition. I think Tony will make an immediate impact on our program."
Brian Kimsey of Sacramento, Calif., also signed a letter of intent to play for the Bluejays, according to Sparks.
The 6'1", 180-pound infielder and outfielder most recently played for the Sacramento IBAC traveling team this summer after a stint with American River Junior College.
The Sacramento native is currently hitting .384 with five homers and 30 RBIs.
"We look for Brian's athleticism to help us significantly in this coming year," Sparks said. "He is comfortable in both the infield and outfield as well as swinging the bat well. He will be a valuable asset to our program."
Matt Buller of Andover, a 5'8", 160-pound pitcher from Andover Central High School, signed a letter of intent to join the Tabor baseball team in 2003.
Buller amassed a 4-1 pitching record for ACHS, a 2.85 ERA and helped lead his team to an overall record of 13-7 and a regional championship.
"Matt has shown the ability to be a clutch pitcher over the past two seasons at Andover Central," said Sparks. "We are very pleased to have him as a part of Bluejay baseball. He is a hard worker who should help our middle relief significantly this coming season.
Maize High School's Aaron Smith, a 6'0", 165-pound pitcher also inked his name to the Bluejay roster.
The lefty has a record of 3-0 with an ERA of 1.65 in 14 appearances this year for Class 6A state champion Maize Eagles who finished 21-4. Smith was an honorable mention Chisholm Trail League honoree.
"We are very excited to have a left-handed pitcher of Aaron's caliber on our staff next season," said Sparks. "He will certainly have the opportunity to compete for a starting job on the mound. Aaron is the type of individual who should make an immediate impact on our program."
Scott Wolfe of Grinnell, a 6'0", 165-pound pitcher and infielder, signed a letter of intent to play for the Bluejays this season.
Wolfe attended Grinnell High School and compiled a 7-1 record with a 3.75 ERA as a pitcher. He also hit .475 and four home runs.
The Grinnell standout was also a first-team all league 8-man football selection and competed in the Kansas 8-man all-star game.
"We are very pleased to sign Scott," Sparks said. "We feel like although he competed at a small high school, he has huge potential to be a successful pitcher in the KCAC. He will bring a strong work ethic to our program which should earn him a lot of field time."
The Bluejays also inked Brandon Stone of Fort Collins, Colo.
Stone, a 5'11", 165-pound outfielder played for Pondre High School as a starting center fielder and lead-off hitter over the past two seasons.
"With the loss of three seniors in the outfield, we are counting on Brandon to step in and have an immediate impact for us, both in the outfield and with his speed on the bases. We are very excited for him to be a part of our program."
