CB360 Week–2 Primetime Performers (full release; 2–24–15)

February 24, 2015
By

After helping lead their respective teams to series wins against top opposition, TCU senior righthander Preston Morrison (Waxhaw, N.C.) and Florida sophomore centerfielder Buddy Reed (Finksburg, Md.) have been honored as the headliners on the CS360 week-2 Primetime Performers Honor Roll. Morrison is the CB360 National Primetime Pitcher of the Week and Reed the Primetime Player of the Week, following their week-2 contributions – with 13 others rounding out the Primetime Performers Honor Roll for Feb. 16–22, 2015.

Preston Morrison (TCU • RHP • Sr.)

Preston Morrison
(TCU • RHP • Sr. • Waxhaw, NC)

(Note: headshot and action photos for all 15 honorees are included below, with player information to be added for each of the week-2 Primetime Performers.)

CLICK HERE for the week-1 Primetime Performers

Buddy Reed (Florida)

Buddy Reed
(Florida • CF • So. • Finksburg, MD)

In addition to Morrison and Reed, the other week-2 Primetime Performers include: Nevada sr. 3B/1B Austin Byler (Peoria, AZ) … Oklahoma jr. 2B/1B/LF Kolbey Carpenter (TX) … Cal fr. C/DH Brett Cumberland  (Turlock, CA) … Indiana State fifth-year senior LHP Jeff Degano (Surrey, BC) … Houston so. RHP Andrew Lantrip (Livingston, TX) … jr. LHP Ryan Lawlor (Savannah, GA) … UCF fr. 2B/RHP Kyle Marsh (Port Orange, FL) … Missouri jr. RHP Reggie McClain (Duluth, GA) … Grand Canyon jr. SS Paul Panaccione  (Peoria, AZ) … Kent State sr. SS Sawyer Polen (Wooster, OH) … Florida Atlantic jr. LHP Brandon Rhodes (Lake Worth, FL) … Wright State jr. RHP Jesse Scholtens (Fairfield, CA) … and Arkansas State so. RHP Tyler Zuber (White Hall, AR).

MORRISON – who formed a potent 1-2 punch with LHP Brandon Finnegan on TCU’s 2014 College World Series team (Finnegan went on to pitch in the MLB World Series as well, with the K.C. Royals) – sparkled in the series opener versus Arizona State (cb360 #17), fashioning a three-hit shutout as the Frogs won 3–0 in Phoenix. After working around a couple baserunners in the first frame, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound right-hander yielded only two hits over the final eight innings.

TCU senior Preston Morrison

TCU senior Preston Morrison delivered on the big stage, fashioning a 3-hit shutout versus Arizona State in Phoenix – sparking the Frogs to a quality early-season series win.

Only one of ASU’s four baserunners ventured into scoring position, while Morrison retired 23 of the final 25 batters he faced. He walked only one batter and struck out five, while returning 15 others via groundball outs. The big-game win was the senior’s 27th career victory at TCU, his eighth complete game and – most impressively – his fifth shutout performance.

REED hit .444 (8-for-18) during the four-game week while helping the Gators win the three-game weekend rivalry series versus Miami (cb360 #11). The switch-hitter made key contributions all week from the 2-hole – ranging from four RBI and three runs scored to four stolen bases and even a pair of assists from his spot in center field.

In the tight 4–3 opener against the Hurricanes, Reed hit 3-for-5 with a pair of stolen bases while scoring to tie the game in the 6th inning, in addition to later gunning down Miami’s own potential tying run in the 8th – and finally delivering the single that scored Josh Tobias for the thrilling win. Two days later, in the low-scoring series finale (a 2–1 Gators win), the 6–3, 200-pounder tied the game with a clutch, two-out single to right field in the 3rd inning.

Florida sophomore centerfield

Florida sophomore centerfielder Buddy Reed led the way for the Gators in a rivalry series win over Miami plus a midweek victory over USF, batting 8-for-8 (4 RBI, 3 R) with several clutch hits, plus four stolen bases and even a pair of fielding assists.

Prior to batting 5-for-12 in the showdown against Miami, with hits in all three games, Reed went 3-for-6 with a pair of RBI, two runs scored and a couple stolen bases in Florida’s 13–3 win over South Florida. Primarily a starting corner outfielder as a freshman in 2014, Reed has unseeded Harrison Bader as the Gators starter in center field this season. In his pre-college days, Reed was a three-sport standout at St. George’s School in Middletown, R.I. – but not in the usual football–basketball–baseball combination, but rather soccer, hockey and baseball.

… As a reminder, the CB360 Primetime Performers often are a departure from most conference and national weekly awards – with an emphasis placed on quality of opponent, contribution to team success, significance of results, consistency of play, etc. Position players are evaluated not solely based on batting avg., home runs and RBI, but also for absence of costly negative stats such as strikeouts and errors. For starting pitchers, extenuating circumstances (such as first career start, quality of the opposing starter, etc.) can play a role in selection to the Primetime Performers.

Ideally, the members of the Primetime Performers Honor Roll all have played a role in games that likely will have a significant impact on determining the 2015 NCAA tournament field – i.e key results, for notable teams.

The 15 week-2 Primetime Performers include: eight pitchers (three of them LHPs) and a pair of shortstops, plus a catcher, corner infielder, centerfielder and two valuable utility player (one a 2B/RHP and the other a 2B/1B/LF). Six of the honorees are juniors, plus three seniors, three sophomores, a pair of freshmen and a fifth-year senior. The 15 include two each from hometowns in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia and Texas – along with one each from Arkansas, British Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina and Ohio.

CB360 Primetime Performer Award Criteria (not based solely on raw stats, but rather …)
• Must have been playing for or against a CB360 top-50 team (in the Composite National Rankings) or performed at a high level in games that could be key to a team’s conference/NCAA postseason qualification; made significant contribution to team’s success and potential postseason positioning (single-game wins, “quality” wins, series wins, road wins, etc.).
• Involved in clutch performances, such as late game-winning hits, noteworthy comebacks, game-changing plays, team leadership, key defensive efforts, etc.
• Performed at a top level against a team rated highly nationally (or within its conference), with bonus consideration given for key performances away from home field and vs. traditional rivals.
• Overcame adversity or extreme circumstances (for the team and/or individual); any other extenuating circumstances that make the individual’s accomplishments more noteworthy.
• Any performance that is rare, historic, record-setting, etc., on a national level.

CB360 PRIMETIME PERFORMERS WEEKLY HONOR ROLL (2015; #2)
(for Week-2: Feb. 23–March 1, 2015 … presented by CollegeBaseball360.com)
                      “It’s not so much what you do, as it is when you do it.”

AUSTIN BYLER  (Nevada … 3B/1B … Sr. … Peoria, AZ … 6-3/225 … 3-hole … bats: L … #28)
KOLBEY CARPENTER  (Oklahoma .. 2B/1B/LF .. Jr. .. Waco, TX .. 6-0/175 .. 7-/6-hole .. bats: R .. #23)
BRETT CUMBERLAND  (Cal … C/DH … Fr. .. Turlock, CA .. 5-10/185 .. cleanup/2-hole .. bats: S .. #28)
JEFF DEGANO  (Indiana State … LHP … 5th-Yr.-Sr. … Surrey, BC … 6-4/200 … #26)
ANDREW LANTRIP  (Houston … RHP … So. … Livingston, TX … 6-2/175 … #13)
RYAN LAWLOR  (Georgia … LHP … Jr. … Savannah, GA … 6-1/180 … #18)
KYLE MARSH  (UCF … 2B/RHP … Fr. … Port Orange, FL … 6-0/190 … 7-/2-hole … bats: R … #22)
REGGIE McCLAIN  (Missouri … RHP … Jr. … Duluth, GA … 6-2/195 … #24)
*PRESTON MORRISON  (TCU … RHP … Sr. … Waxhaw, NC … 6-2/185 … #18)
PAUL PANACCIONE  (Grand Canyon … SS … Jr. … Peoria, AZ … 5-10/190 … 2-hole … bats: R … #3)
SAWYER POLEN  (Kent State … SS … Sr. … Wooster, OH … 6-0/180 … 3-hole … bats: R … #14)
*BUDDY REED  (Florida … CF … So. … Finksburg, MD … 6-3/200 … 2-hole … bats: switch … #23)
BRANDON RHODES  (Florida Atlantic … LHP … Jr. … Lake Worth, FL … #28)
JESSE SCHOLTENS  (Wright State … RHP … Jr. … Fairfield, CA … 6-4/225 … #39)
TYLER ZUBER  (Arkansas State … RHP … So. … White Hall, AR … 5-10/185 … #36)
* Morrison is the CB360 National Primetime Pitcher of the Week and Reed the Primetime Player of the Week

All photos are courtesy of the respective schools.

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Austin Byler headshot 175AUSTIN BYLERAustin Byler A250
Nevada … 3B/1B … Sr. Peoria, AZ … 6-3/225
3-hole … bats: L … #28

Key player in Nevada’s 7–0 record over the first two weeks of the 2015 season – the best start in program history … lefthanded power hitter who batted .400 during four-win week that included victory at Texas Tech (cb360 #9) and home series sweep of [50] Fresno State … launched a pair of home runs during the week while scoring seven times and driving in four runs … reached base 15 times during the week (4-for-10 with eight bases on balls and three HBPs) … hit 2-for-4 with a solo home run and another run scored in the 8–4 win at Texas Tech (the Raiders only loss so far in 2015) … his second home run of the week ended the 9–8 series opener vs. Fresno, in the 10th inning (he also walked and scored three times earlier in that game) … compiled a .733 on-base pct. during the Fresno series, with 10 total free passes during those three games (seven walks and three times hit-by-pitch) … returned for his senior season, after being selected by the Washington Nationals in the 9th round of the 2014 MLB draft … four-year starter who hit .326 with a league-leading 14 home runs in 2014, en route to earning first team All-Mountain West Conference honors (also ABCA West Region second team) … hit .346 with 8 HR in 2013 … Arizona product from Sunrise Mountain High School.

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Carpenter headshot 175Kolbey Carpenter A250KOLBEY CARPENTER
Oklahoma … 2B/1B/LF
Jr. … Waco, TX
6-0/175 … 7-/6-hole
bats: R … #23

Provided the power for Oklahoma during bust week in Arizona, playing five games against various Pac-12 teams … hit 8-for-17 with three home runs, nine RBI and seven runs scored during that stretch, highlighted by wins over Washington (cb360 #47), [38] Oregon State and Utah, plus a loss versus host [17] Arizona State … filled in wherever needed defensively (first base, second and left field) during the busy week … slugged nearly 1.200 during the week, with his five extra-base hits also including a triple and a double (five of his eight hits carried him beyond first base) … launched 3-run HR in 4th inning to spark 10–1 win over Washington, adding a two-run triple and run scored the next day (also in Surprise, Ariz.) during 9–6 win over Oregon State … closed the week with early game-tying blast against Utah and go-ahead, two-run shot versus the Utes (4–3 final) … collected hits and factored into at least one run in all five games, including 2-for-4 with a run and double in 7–4 loss to ASU  (also 2-for-4 with an RBI in 4–3 loss vs. Washington State) … reached base 11 total times during the week, with a pair of walks (three runs scored) vs. Washington and one against Utah … entering his first season as a regular starting, after batting .300 in 26 games played during 2014 … Texas product from West High School.

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Baseball Portraits 2015BRETT CUMBERLANDBrett Cumberland A250
California … C/DH … Fr.
Turlock, CA … 5-10/185
cleanup/2-hole
bats: switch … #28

Switch-hitting newcomer who has made quick transition to the collegiate game and could emerge as a key factor for Bears surpassing expectations in 2015 (Cal was picked to finish 8th in the Pac-12) … hit 7-for-15 during the week while batting near the top of the lineup (cleanup or 2-hole), as Bears went 4–1 with Monday rivalry victory at Stanford followed by 4-game series vs. UC Irvine (which returns several top players from its 2014 CWS squad) … five of his seven hits during the week went for extra bases, with three home runs and a pair of doubles … drove in nearly one-third of the teams runs (10 of 33) during the productive week … introduced himself to the Cal-Stanford rivalry in stunning fashion, launching a grand slam in his first at-bat and adding a 3-run blast in the 4th to fuel that 11–1 win at Sunken Diamond … his top effort in the UC Irvine series included batting 2-for-4 with two RBI, a double and a home run in the game-2 win (10–3) … Central California product, from  Turlock High School.

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Jeff Degano headshot 175JEFF DEGANO
Indiana State … LHP … 5th-Yr.-Sr.
Surrey, BC … 6-4/200 … #26

Veteran pitcher who has returned from reconstructive elbow surgery in fine fashion, highlighted by win over top-ranked Vanderbilt to square that series in Port Charlotte, Fla., 8–1 … scattered six hits and did not walk a batter while limiting the defending CWS champions to a single run over 7.0 innings, with five strikeouts – as the Sycamores beat a No. 1 team for the first time in program history … did not allow a baserunner after the third inning … can petition for a sixth year of eligibility in 2016, after utilizing redshirt season in 2014 and missing most of 2013 due to arm injury … Canadian product (Fraser Heights Secondary School) who spent his first two seasons of college baseball at Marshalltown Community College in Iowa.  note: action photo currently not available

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Andrew Lantrip headshot 170ANDREW LANTRIPAndrew Lantrip A250
Houston … RHP … So.
Livingston, TX
6-2/175 … #13

Rose to the occasion as game-1 starter in series versus Alabama (cb360 #29), logging 7.0 strong innings as the Cougars went on to win 3–1 and ultimately take the series … worked around seven hits by limiting the damage with only one walk, countered by five strikeouts in an outing that saw him locate 72% of his pitches for strikes (66 of 92) … kept his team in the game, with the decisive three runs coming in the bottom of the 6th … earned 2014 Freshman All-America honors after going 6–0 with a 1.87 ERA in 43.1 innings (33 Ks, 7 BB) for Houston team that won 48 games and reached the NCAA Super Regional round … in-state product from Livingston High School.

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Baseball Headshots 2014-15

Georgia vs. Eastern IllinoisRYAN LAWLOR
Georgia … LHP … Jr.
Savannah, GA
6-1/180 … #18

Racked up 10 strikeouts in six strong innings against Florida State (cb360 #16), picking up the game-2 victory in 4–1 win that sparked doubleheader sweep to take the series … did not allow a baserunner into scoring position until the 5th inning, when FSU scored its lone run … limited potent Seminoles offense to four hits (three of them singles, one a bunt) and only two free passes, on a walk and hit batter … served as UGa’s Friday-night starter during 2014 SEC games, finishing with a 4–6 season record while often matching up against the opponent’s ace … spent his first season of college baseball at NAIA Middle Georgia (2013) … in-state product who earned honorable mention All-America honors at Calvary Day School.

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Kyle Marsh headshot 175KYLE MARSHKyle Marsh A250
UCF … 2B/RHP … Fr.
Port Orange, FL
6-0/190 … 7-/2-hole
bats: R … #22

Starting second baseman and relief pitcher for UCF team that ended week-2 as one of only seven unbeaten/untied teams in all of Division I baseball – highlighted by wins over Maryland (cb360 #20) and [25] Arkansas (both at South Alabama) … racked up eight RBI during 4–0 week, while batting .385 with a home run and double, in addition to logging a pair of scoreless relief outings … reached base 11 times during the week, with six bases on balls … drove in two runs from the 7-hole in 9–5 win over Arkansas, while reaching base four times (double and three walks) … helped edge the Terps the next day, 7–6, with a walk and run scored while retiring the final two batters to pick up the save … closed the tournament with three RBI (2-for-5) in 7–5 win over the host Jaguars … during 10–2 midweek win over MEAC favorite Bethune-Cookman, went 2-for-3, walked twice, factored into four of UCF’s runs (3 RBI, 2 R, HR) and logged a shutout inning with a strikeout … southern Florida product from Spruce Creek High School.

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Baseball Headshots 2014-2015 - December 11, 2014 Photo by: Clayton HotzeREGGIE McCLAIN
Missouri … RHP … Jr.
Duluth, GA … 6-2/195 … #24

Junior college transfer who has burst onto the Division I scene, opening the 2015 season with back-to-back SEC Pitcher of the Week honors that encompassed 17 total shutout innings, with only seven baserunners allowed (all singles, with no walks and 14 Ks) in those two starts … has faced only 54 batters (three over the minimum) to start his DI career … after week-1 win in 1–0 pitchers duel vs. Iona (8.0 innings; 3 H, 10 Ks), went the distance in 4-hit shutout of potent Sam Houston State (cb360 #46) – with the Tigers winning 2–0 on a 9th-inning home run (at Whataburger Field, in Corpus Christi) … ultimately out dueled ace Andrew Godail, a top returner from SHSU’s 2014 NCAA Tournament team … cruised through the first four innings, against Bearkats offense that had been averaging seven runs a game … allowed only two SHSU baserunners to reach second base (via a sac. bunt and stolen base) … pitched around a 2nd-inning error, a 4th-inning stolen base and a 2-out hit in the 5th … retired the final eight Bearkats he faced, en route to posting Missouri’s first solo shutout since eventual MLB 2nd-rounder Rob Zastryzny did it in 2013 … honed his craft playing in one of the nation’s top JC conferences, at Manatee Community College, in Bradenton, Fla.   note: action photo currently not available

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TCU All Sports Photo DayPRESTON MORRISON TCU Baseball vs Southern Illinois
TCU … RHP … Sr.
Waxhaw, NC
6-2/185 … #18

  – CB360 National Primetime Pitcher of the Week –

Veteran leader of TCU staff, after forming a potent 1-2 punch with LHP Brandon Finnegan on TCU’s 2014 College World Series team (Finnegan went on to pitch in the MLB World Series as well, with the K.C. Royals) … sparkled in the series opener versus Arizona State (cb360 #17), fashioning a three-hit shutout as the Frogs won 3–0 in Phoenix … worked around a couple baserunners in the first frame before yielding only two hits over the final eight innings … only one of ASU’s four baserunners ventured into scoring position, while Morrison retired 23 of the final 25 batters he faced … walked only one batter and struck out five, while returning 15 others via groundball outs … the big-game win was the senior’s 27th career victory at TCU, his eighth complete game and – most impressively – his fifth shutout performance.

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Paul Panaccione headshotPaul Panaccione A250PAUL PANACCIONE
Grand Canyon … SS … Jr.
Peoria, AZ … 
5-10/190
2-hole … bats: R … #3

Hit nearly .500 (8-for-17) during unbeaten week, as Lopes – embarking on their second Division I season – posted four wins over cb360 top-50 teams: 7–0 at [40] UNLV and a series sweep at [37] Cal Poly (10–4, 4–2, 9–3), with the Mustangs featuring several top returners from their historic 2014 team … reached base 11 times during the week (2 BB, HBP) while factoring into 14 of GCU’s runs (7 RBI, 8 R, HR) … played lead role in the shutout win at UNLV, highlighted by two-run blast for first home run of his college career (2-for-4, 3 RBI, 2 R, HBP) … reached four times in opener at Cal Poly (3-for-4, BB) and factored into half of the team’s 10 runs (3 RBI, 2 R) … also hit safely in gm-2 before closing the week batting 2-for-5 in the series finale (RBI, 2 R) … second-year starter who swiped 20 stolen bases in 2014 … started his college career playing for GCU on the Division II level … the Lopes are expected to challenge Sacramento State for the 2015 WAC regular-season title, but – as a DI transitional team – GCU will not be eligible for any postseason play until 2018 … in-state product from Liberty High School.

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Sawyer Polen headshot 175SAWYER POLENSawyer Polen A250
Kent State … SS … Sr.
Wooster, OH … 6-0/180
3-hole … bats: R … #14

One of the few remaining regulars from Kent State’s 2012 College World Series team, looking to help the Flashes contend for the 2015 MAC title and take another crack at reaching the CWS … nearly led team to series win at Baylor (cb360 #43), after the Bears could find few answers in keeping him off the basepaths during that three-game series … his .813 series on-base pct. – all the more noteworthy when considering that nine Kent State players had to miss the doubleheader due to illness – included batting 6-for-9 with six walks and a 13th time on base via a hit-by-pitch … reached base five times (2-for-3, 3 BB, RBI, 2 R) in 11–3 series-opening victory … opened Saturday doubeheader with four more times on base (3-for-4, BB) in 6–1 loss … his five times on base in the series finale (1-for-2, 2 BB, HBP) ignited a comeback and he appeared to score the series-winning run in the top of the 10th, but Baylor rallied for the 4–3 final … also played error-free at shortstop throughout the series … four-year starter who hit .312 as a sophomore in 2013 … collected three hits in there games at the 2012 CWS … in-state product from Triway High School.

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Buddy Reed headshot 175Buddy Reed A250BUDDY REED 
Florida … CF … So.  Finksburg, MD
6-3/200 … 2-hole
bats: switch … #23

     – CB360 National Primetime Player of the Week –

Switch hitter who batted at a .444 clip (8-for-18) during four-game week while helping the Gators win the three-game weekend rivalry series versus Miami (cb360 #11) … made key contributions all week from the 2-hole – ranging from four RBI and three runs scored to four stolen bases and even a pair of assists from his spot in center field … in tight 4–3 opener against the Hurricanes, hit 3-for-5 with a pair of stolen bases while scoring to tie the game in the 6th inning, in addition to later gunning down Miami’s own potential tying run in the 8th – and finally delivering the single that scored Josh Tobias for the thrilling win … two days later, in the low-scoring series finale (a 2–1 Gators win), he tied the game with a clutch, two-out single to right field in the 3rd inning … prior to batting 5-for-12 in the showdown against Miami, with hits in all three games, went 3-for-6 with a pair of RBI, two runs scored and a couple stolen bases in 13–3 win over South Florida … primarily a starting corner outfielder as a freshman in 2014 but has unseeded Harrison Bader as the Gators starter in center field this season … was a three-sport standout at St. George’s School in Middletown, R.I. – but not in the usual football–basketball–baseball combination, but rather soccer, hockey and baseball.

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2013-14 FAU Athletics Head ShotsBRANDON RHODES 2015 FAU Baseball vs Connecticut
Florida Atlantic … LHP … Jr.
Lake Worth, FL … #28

Took 2–0 career record versus Miami into early-season game vs. the Hurricanes and delivered another quality outing, with this six shutout innings setting the stage for FAU’s 5–3 comeback victory over the ‘Canes (cb360 #11) … worked around jams in the first two innings, ultimately registering 13 of his 18 outs via strikeouts (4), groundballs (7), foulouts (1) or infield popups (1) … overcame a teammate’s 1st-inning error to leave the bases loaded (ending with an infield popup) and then worked around a couple two-out singles in the 2nd … kept Miami from crossing home plate, while scattering five hits, three walks and a hit batter over the 6.0 innings … logged 41.1 innings over 17 appearances in 2014, after making seven starts among 13 appearances in 2013 … south Florida product from Park Vista High School.

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14313 Matt Zircher, Baseball Team portraits 8-26-14JESSE SCHOLTENS
Wright State … RHP … Jr.
Fairfield, CA … 6-4/225 … #39

Transer additon who could play lead role for the Horizon League favorites … picked up win in 3–1 game at Ole Miss (cb360 #28), allowing only an unearned run on six hits, two walks and a hit batter over 6.0 innings, with four strikeouts … 15 of his 18 outs came via Ks (4), groundballs (8), infield lineups/popups (2) or runner thrown out on the bases (1) … kept his team within striking distance, setting up the decisive three-run sequence in the top of the 7th … in his first two starts with the Raiders, has compiled a 0.69 ERA with 13 Ks in 13 innings … started his career at the University in 2012, making three brief relief appearances, before playing the next two seasons at Diablo Valley Community College … California product from Rodriguez High School.      note: action photo currently not available

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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERATYLER ZUBER Tyler Zuber A250
Arkansas State … RHP
So. … White Hall, AR
5-10/185 … #36

First-year starter who sparkled in near-complete game against Louisville (cb360 top-50), logging eight shutout innings as Red Wolves posted 4–1 win to clinch series (in Emerson, Ga.) … limited the damage by facing only 29 batters (five over the minimum), allowing two singles, a pair of walks and two hit batters while striking out three in the 92-pitch outing … kept 14 of his 18 outs in the infield, with five groundouts, four infield popups and a double play via an infield lineout (plus the three Ks) … made 24 appearances, all in relief, as a freshman in 2014 … in-state product from White Hall High School.

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