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Oaks Announce 2005 Recruiting Class
Oakland City- Head Coach T-Ray Fletcher and Pitching Coach Jon Adams have announced their recruiting class for the upcoming season. Signing National Letters of Intent were local pitchers Justin Horstman, Raymond Cintron, and Mt. Vernon catcher Mike Reed.
Horstman, who is transferring after two seasons at the University of Evansville was regarded as one of the state's premiere high school pitchers for three seasons at Evansville North. While at North, Horstman went 6-2 as a senior with a 1.37 ERA; this after missing most of the season with an ankle injury. As a junior, he was 11-2 with a 1.10 ERA and named all-city, all-conference, and all-Metro while leading the Huskies to a state runner-up finish in 2002. As a member of Eugene Pate American Legion, Horstman was 11-2 with a 1.25 ERA in leading one of the state's premiere American Legion programs to the state championship.
Cintron, a sophomore, is transferring to OCU from Wabash Valley College in Mt. Carmel, Illinois where he went 5-1 with a 2.31 ERA last season for the Warriors. As a high school senior at Princeton Community, he was 7-0 with a 0.87 ERA. In 2003, Cintron led the Indiana Yankees Select Travel Baseball Club to a #3 national and #1 ranking by Baseball America Magazine. While pitching for the Yankees, he was 8-1 with a 1.10 ERA with 74 strikeouts in 61 innings.
Reed, who is expected to make a big contribution to the Oaks behind the dish, is known as one of the best catch-and-throw catchers in the state and led the Mt. Vernon Wildcats to a sectional finals appearance while hitting .360 with 10 doubles, 2 homeruns and 22 RBI's. This summer he is catching for the Mt. Vernon Owen Dunn American Legion team.
Horstman, Cintron and Reed join pitcher Steven Herrenbruck from Boonville High School and first-baseman Ben Noffsinger who is transferring to OCU from Franklin College after leading Tecumseh High School to the state baseball tournament in 2003.
Bell, Durlauf Named First Team NCCAA All-Americans
Durlauf named NCAA 1st Team All-Region
Seniors Jason Bell and Jeff Durlauf were named to the 2005 NCCAA First Team All-American squad this past week. Bell, who finished his senior campaign with a .341 average while hitting 14 homeruns and driving in 44 RBI's. Durlauf, the Mid-East Region Player of the Year was also named to the NCAA Division II 1st Team All-Region squad the second OCU athlete in any sport to earn this honor (Bell earned 1st Team All-Region in 2004), hit a team leading .414 with 15 homers, 49 RBI's and 12 doubles to finish out his career. His 15 homeruns tied the single season mark, and his 39 career homers are a school record.
Seniors Jeff Durlauf (left) and Jason Bell (right) earned First Team All-American Honors
Three Mighty Oaks Named to All World Series Team
Bell, Reinbrecht, Miller earn spots
Senior Jason Bell, sophomore Phil Reinbrecht and freshman Josh Miller have been named to the NCCAA All-World Series Team after the Mighty Oaks finished a school best, second in the National Tournament in Chattanooga, TN. Bell, the team's closer and most versatile player earned the pitching win in OCU's must win game against Indiana Wesleyan. Bell also connected for two crucial homeruns in OCU's final two games. Reinbrecht, a sophomore righthander pitched a complete game four hitter over top seeded Mt. Vernon Nazarene in OCU's second game of the World Series. The final Mighty Oak to earn All-Tournament honors was freshman third baseman Josh Miller, who finished the tournament 8-for-13 with two walks while also playing a very respectable third base throughout the tournament.
Three Mighty Oaks were named to the 2005 All World Series Team (From L to R) senior Jason Bell, sophomore Phil Reinbrecht, and freshman Josh Miller.
Durlauf Named Player of the Year
Oakland City University senior outfielder Jeff Durlauf has been named the NCCAA Mid-East Region Player of the Year for the 2005 season. Durlauf, who holds OCU career marks for homeruns (33) and doubles (34) ended the regular season with impressive offensive statistics. (.435 BA, 12 HR, 44 RBI, 11 2B, 2 3B, 34 R, .824 Slugging %.). A Ferdinand, IN and Forest Park High School product, Durlauf is majoring in Business Education and will graduate in December.
Four Mighty Oaks Named All-Region
Four of Oakland City University's players were named to the 2005 NCCAA Mid-East All-Region Team. Seniors Jeff Durlauf and Jason Bell, junior Andrew Elpers, and sophomore Nick Keener. Durlauf, an outfielder hit .435 with 12 HR and 44 RBI; Bell, the Oaks most versatile player split time behind the plate and at shortstop while also being the teams closer hit .345 with 12 HR and 37 RBI's. Keener, a right-handed pitcher, middle-infielder and the teams leadoff hitter hit .347 with 2 HR, 12 RBI's. Elpers, a left-hander was 4-5 on the mound striking out 61 in 54 innings. Along with his all-region selection, Durlauf was named the Mid-East Region Player of the Year.
2005 Mighty Oaks NCCAA All-Region Selections
(From L to R Jeff Durlauf, Jason Bell, Andrew Elpers, and Nick Keener)
2005 Mighty Oak Season Outlook
Coach T-Ray Fletcher welcomes 14 returning lettermen from a very successful 2004 season in which the Mighty Oaks tied a school record for wins (27) and earned a sixth place finish in the NCCAA National Tournament. Along with those 14 returnees, Fletcher has added 12 newcomers to his 2005 Mighty Oak baseball team and the veteran OCU skipper has high expectations for this season’s squad. “We lost a lot of key players from last year’s team but are excited about our returnees and the newcomers we have signed. If the team gels the way we expect them to, there is no reason why we can’t pick up right where we left off last year.”
In Fletcher’s first ten season;s, his teams have compiled a 200-199-1 record and have earned berths into the NCCAA National Tournament seven times, finishing 4th in 1996, 8th in 1997, 5th in 1999, 5th in 2000, 5th in 2001, 4th in 2002, and 6th in 2004.
Back from the record tying 2004 campaign are seniors Jason Bell (Mt. Vernon, IN) and Jeff Durlauf (Ferdinand, IN) who tied for second all-time for homeruns in a single season with 14 a piece. Bell, a utility infielder and the team’s closer earned NCAA First Team All-Region honors (the school’s first recipient in any sport), while Durlauf the team’s centerfielder, earned an NCAA Second Team All-Region selection.
Bell, who hit .406 a year ago, also led the team with RBI’s (59), doubles (14) and hits (69). Durlauf hit .378 with 42 RBI’s, 12 doubles, 56 hits, and seven stolen bases in 2004.
Also back for their senior campaigns are first baseman Jeremy Farmer (Boonville, IN), pitcher/outfielder Josh Seiler (Boonville, IN) and second baseman Pablo Bukonja (Caracas, Venezuela). Farmer hit .298 with three homeruns, 17 RBI’s and six doubles. Seiler, the team’s starting right-fielder hit .265 with two homeruns and 14 batted in. Bukonja, who was sidelined most of the season with a hamstring injury hit .217 with 14 runs scored a year ago.
Among the other returnees, is catcher Shanon Miller (Corydon, IN), third baseman, Josh Gensic (Newburgh, IN), and outfielders Adam Kilian (Oakland City, IN), and Jared Henke (Huntingburg, IN). As they did last season, all are expected to play important roles during the 2005 season.
New position players for the 2005 season include sophomore transfer Nick Keener (Rend Lake College/Newburgh, IN), a middle-infielder who will also see considerable time on the mound for the Mighty Oaks in 2005. Keener will be joined by freshmen outfielder Kellen Higginson (Haubstadt, IN), first-baseman Kyle Greulich (Ferdinand, IN), catcher Mark Kirkman (Evansville, IN), middle-infielder Nic Skinner (Newburgh, IN), third-baseman Josh Miller (Dexter, MO), and outfielder Jerad Sweeney (Oakland City, IN).
On the mound, the Mighy Oaks return seven pitchers, including starters Andrew Elpers (Haubstadt, IN) and Phil Reinbrecht (Haubstadt, IN).
Elpers, a junior lefty, went 2-3 on the season compiling a 3.17 ERA while striking out 40 in 46 innings. Reinbrecht, a sophomore right-hander compiled a 3-2 record, striking out 19 and only walking three in 30 innings a year ago.
Also back on the mound for the Mighty Oaks are sophomore right-handers Clint Russell (Winslow, IN), Brandon Tennant (Utica, KY) and Nathan Young (Bowling Green, IN). All three were called upon in crucial situations as freshmen and will be counted on again in 2005 to give depth to the Mighty Oak bullpen.
Newcomers to the mound for the Mighty Oaks this season include junior college transfers Cole McConnell (Harrisburg, IL/Wabash Valley College) and Eric Milligan (Harrisburg, IL/Southeastern Illinois College). McConnell, a right-hander and Milligan, a left-hander will be joined by freshmen right-handers Chris Siegert (Bowling Green, KY) and Clint McKnight (Dawson Springs, KY).
Although a 56 game schedule holds many uncertainties, one thing is certain; Head Coach T-Ray Fletcher, Pitching Coach Jon Adams, and Student Assistants Jesse Simmons and Brent Nalley will see to it that their team continues to improve every day and that they are ready for the long season ahead.