LSUS Baseball Adds 14 to 2009 Roster
July 19, 2008
The LSUS baseball program has added 14 players to the 2009 roster, as announced today by head coach Rocke Musgraves. The Pilots signed two NCAA Division One transfers, nine high school athletes and three junior college transfers to the 2008-09 recruiting class.
The 2008-09 class is highlighted by McNeese State transfer Kyle Lawrence. Lawrence, a fleet-footed, slick-fielding shortstop was a First Team All-Conference selection at BPCC in 2007. He was also a Louisiana First-Team All-State selection at Benton High School where he hit .510 as a senior in 2005.
Three local high school players will begin their college careers next season in a LSUS uniform, as Cory Cottonbrook (Springhill), Toby Remedies (Zwolle) and Kyle Pierson (North Desoto) will all play for the Pilots in 2009. Cottonbrook, a hard throwing right-hander with a good breaking ball, was a four-time All-District selection in high school. Remedies sported a 10-1 record with a 2.23 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 2008, while being named to the Class B All-State Team. Pierson, an outfielder from North Desoto, hit .405 his senior year with 20 doubles, 5 triples and 2 homeruns.
LSUS also grabbed high school teammates from McLeod High School (Texas), C/RHP Ken Shaw and RHP Dusty Harris, and Redemptorist High School, LHP Clayton Mounger and C Stephen Loupe, for 2009. Shaw garnered the eye of many college coaches with his 46 career homeruns, three District MVP awards and four All-District Team selections. Harris was also a four-time All District selection, winning 15 games his junior and senior seasons.
Tallulah Academy’s Cason Landrem and St. Thomas Moore’s David Fournet round out the Pilots 2008-09 high school recruiting class. Landrem posted an 8-2 record with a 0.99 ERA on the mound in 2008, on his way to earning First-Team All-District and Team MVP honors. Fournet, hit .392 his senior year with 12 doubles, while scoring 45 runs.
Junior college transfers Travis Bertrand, Scott Petroski and Ken Delin will add depth to the Pilot pitching staff in 2009. Bertrand is a talented left-hander from Baton Rouge Community College, who had an outstanding high school career. Bertrand was a two-time All-State selection, while also being named his district’s MVP in 2006. Petroski comes to LSUS via Cedar Valley Community College where he was 5-3 last season, while posting a 4.00 ERA. Delin joins the Pilots after spending last season at Delgado Community College. Also transferring to LSUS next season is Jason Raiford, a red-shirt freshman from McNeese State University.
The 2008-09 recruiting class will join a veteran LSUS ballclub in 2009, as the Pilots return seven position starters off of last year’s 47-15 team. Also returning next season are several players who either sat out the 2008 season due to injury or red-shirt status.
A solid senior class will lead the Pilots into the 2009 season, as they will look to win a piece of GCAC hardware for the fourth consecutive season. Brent Lavallee, the 2007 GCAC First Team All-Conference catcher, will return in ‘09 after sitting out the ‘08 season due to a knee injury. Quinton Shamsabady (.383 AVG, 1.038 OBS) who had a breakout season in ‘08, returns to the outfield. Jacob Watkins, who saw limited action due to a back injury, still managed to steal 20 bases in ’08 and score 43 runs, and will return to compete for a middle infield position. Corner infielder, Jeffrey Garidel (.307 AVG, 7 HR, 44 RBI .901 OBS) will give the Pilots a reliable veteran at the hot corner. RHP Zach Ray went 3-1 last season with a 4.35 ERA, while talented LHP Colby Lehman looks to rebound from a disappointing ‘08 campaign.
A very strong junior class will be led by pitcher JV Laffitte, who should be completely recovered from Tommy John surgery (March 2007). Laffitte went 4-2 as freshman in 2006 with a 3.79 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 57 innings. RHP Turner Brasher from NE Texas CC signed at the University of Louisiana Monroe, but because of eligibility rules, opted to sit out a year and attend LSUS. Brasher’s 87-92mph fastball and athleticism has the Pilot coaching staff excited about next season. First-baseman Craig Barnes also returns for ‘09 after tying the school’s homerun record (13) and team-leading 61 RBI’s in 2008. Centerfielder Josh Todd has seen his two years of hard work pay off with a strong sophomore campaign (.284 AVG, 8 HR, 42 RBI, 20 SB). Infielders, Andrew Blubaugh (.324 AVG, .444 OB%) and David Bradley (.292 AVG, 2 HR, 24 RBI) look to compete for starting positions in ’09. RHP Frankie Degraauw, OF Ricky Sanders, C Bubba Jordan, and RHP James Landry are very talented players that will look to make impacts in 2009 after being set back by injuries in ‘08.
The 2009 sophomore class members are already household names to Pilot fans because most of them received a lot of playing time as freshman last season. Catcher Andrew Brouillette did what few college freshman baseball players in the country did, as he was named to the All-Region First Team as a catcher. Brouillette’s numbers (.410 AVG, 18 2B, 8 HR, 53 RBI, 1.166 OBS) give the Pilot fans reason for an excited anticipation of the ’09 season. Sophomore pitchers Justin Ennis and Gino Spratley combined for 14 wins as freshmen in ’08, while gaining valuable experience with innings pitched in the NAIA Regionals. Outfielders Brandon Bravata (.302 AVG, 14 SB .898 OBS), Chase Wentz (.316 AVG, 1.044 OBS, 3 HR), and Matt Moseley (.220 AVG, .754 OBS, 2 HR, 10 SB) combined for 203 at-bats in ’08, giving the Pilots a strong core out in the grass. Shortstop Robert Pharr saw time in 50 games for LSUS in ’08 and should see time up the middle for the Pilots. RHP Cody Dees saw some important innings last season, going 2-0 with a 4.73 ERA in 13 games. First-baseman Bobby Hebert returns in ‘09 after sitting out in ‘08 to recover from knee surgery.
2008 Redshirts Chad Cradeur, Mason Free, and Stephen Hobbins are all talented players with the ability to be big-time additions in the future.
LSUS Baseball 2008-09 Recruiting Class
Travis Bertrand LHP Jr. Baton Rouge Community College (Louisiana)
Cory Cottonbrook RHP Fr. Springhill HS (Louisiana)
Ken Delin RHP Fr. Delgado Community College (Louisiana)
David Fournet OF Fr. St. Thomas Moore HS (Louisiana)
Dusty Harris RHP Fr. McLeod HS (Texas)
Cason Landrem RHP Fr. Tallulah HS (Louisiana)
Kyle Lawrence SS Jr. McNeese State University (Louisiana)
Stephen Loupe C Fr. Redemptorist HS (Louisiana)
Clayton Mounger LHP Fr. Redemptorist HS (Louisiana)
Scott Petroski RHP Jr. Cedar Valley CC (Texas)
Kyle Pierson OF Fr. North Desoto HS (Texas)
Jason Raiford RHP Fr. McNeese State University (Louisiana)
Toby Remedies RHP Fr. Zwolle HS (Louisiana)
Ken Shaw C Fr. McLeod HS (Texas)
