The Centre College baseball team recently finalized its 2013 recruiting class and will welcome 13 new faces to the program beginning fall 2009. The class features several student-athletes capable of playing multiple positions and will add quality depth to the roster.
Aaron Ammann (Winnetka, Calif.) becomes the second Californian in as many years to choose Centre and play baseball, joining sophomore-to-be Cameron Fishman (Northridge, Calif.). Ammann, who played in the same league as Fishman helped lead Crespi Camelite High School to the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Division II Championship played at Angel Stadium. Ammann, an all-academic team pick in both 2008 and 2009, posted a .400 on-base percentage and made only six errors all season starting at second base. Although he started at second base this past year, he is also capable and will compete for time at shortstop.
Mike Conley (Flatgap, Ky.) went 6-1 on the mound as a senior and was selected as an East/West All-Star both as a junior and a senior. Conley was a Governor's Scholar, Class President, and Valedictorian at Johnson Central High School and was also selected to the KHSAA Academic All-State Team 15 times while playing three sports. During his senior season, he threw a perfect game and posted a 2.04 earned run average to go along with a .308 batting average. When not pitching, Conley played multiple infield and outfield positions. He was also selected to the 57th District All-Tournament Team three times and the 15th Region All-Tournament Team twice.
Shelby Cregor (Louisville, Ky.) had his senior year interrupted by an injury during football season, but recovered and made it back for the second half of the baseball season. Even after missing the end of the football season, Cregor was still named all-conference and all-district as well as the team's Most Valuable Offensive Back and team captain. As a junior in baseball, he was an all-district catcher and earned the team's Coach's Award as well as being an all star. Cregor also plays outfield.
Zeke Edwards (Harrodsburg, Ky.) was a five-year starter in high school (three years at Mercer County and two years at Harrodsburg). Edwards, a first baseman, hit .420 as a senior with seven home runs and 42 runs batted in while breaking the school record for career home runs, runs batted in and doubles. He helped Mercer County to the 2009 district championship and was named all-district for the third time. Edwards has been all-region and all area, while also being a team captain in both baseball and football. He's a three-year member of the National Honors Society and has served in several different roles throughout the community.
Alex Elswick (Lexington, Ky.) attended Henry Clay High School where he was a Student-Athlete of the Year Finalist. He was also an Academic All-State selection, while serving on Henry Clay's All-Academic Team for four years. As a senior Elswick hit .340 in helping the Blue Devils to a 21-11 overall record and a district championship. Following his senior year he was awarded the team's 110% Award after starting in the outfield for Henry Clay.
Chase Ely (Middlesboro, Ky.) played both baseball and football at Bell County High School. In baseball, Ely, a right-handed pitcher helped lead his team to the 2008 and 2009 52nd district championship and 2008 regional championship and was named to the 2008 and 2009 13th Region All-Tournament Team. Ely also helped the football team to the 2008 Kentucky State Championship and was named the team's top receiver that year. A 2009 Marines Distinguished Male Athlete, he was also on the Academic All-State 1st Team (3.75 or higher) from 2005-2008.
Matt Freire (Frankfort, Ky.) played both infield and outfield at Western Hills High School. A four-time Academic All-State First Team selection, Freire was a team captain as a senior and hit .395 with three home runs and 19 runs batted in to help lead Western Hills to a school best 19-6 overall record. He was also named the team's hardest worker and finished his four-year career with a 4.16 grade point average. Western Hills finished the season ranked 14th in the state and was ranked as high as seventh during the season.
Danny Freudiger (Mason, Ohio) was an All-Greater Catholic League First Team selection as an outfielder at St. Xavier High School. The left-handed pitcher/outfielder hit .439 as a senior with 25 runs batted in, three doubles, a triple, a home run and three stolen bases, while also going 2-0 on the mound with a 3.94 earned run average with 11 strikeouts in 16.0 innings of work.
Nick Hiller (Independence, Ky.), also a left-handed pitcher/outfielder, was named to the All-Cincinnati Enquirer First Team, and All-Northern Kentucky First Team after hitting .489 with four home runs, 27 runs batted in and 37 runs scored. He helped Scott High School to a 21-12 overall record and a district championship during his senior year. A member of the National Honor Society, Hiller compiled a 4.1 grade-point average and was on the Dean's List/Honor Roll each of his four years.
Adam Hoyt (Rockfield, Ky.), a right-handed pitcher from Warren Central High School, helped lead his team to a 24-8 overall record and earned a complete-game victory in the district championship. Hoyt recorded a 3.78 grade-point average over his four years and was voted the team's Most Valuable Player by his teammates as a junior, while also being named to the all-district team both as a junior and a senior. He finished his senior year with a 7-3 record on the mound
Jonathan Lopez (West Liberty, Ky.) pitched and played both in the outfield and infield at Morgan County High School. Lopez also played basketball and football in high school and was an honor roll student. As a junior Lopez was named to the 62nd All-District Team and the 16th All-Region Team. In addition, he was a member of the National Honors Society and was featured in Who's Who Among High School Students.
Ian Powell (Harrodsburg, Ky.), a first baseman/outfielder from Burgin High School, earned Kentucky High School Athletic Association Academic All-State honors from 2006-2009. Powell was an All-Bluegrass Conference and Advocate Messenger All-Area selection in both 2008 and 2009 and was also an all-district team pick in 2009 and 2007.
Stephen Pullen (Paducah, Ky.) brings great athleticism to Centre as he earned 14 letters as a four-sport athlete at Ballard Memorial High School. Pullen, a Second Team All-State athlete in track, led his team in stolen bases his final three years as an outfielder. He helped his team to the 2008 district championship and regional runner up while hitting .333. Pullen will also play football at Centre competing for time at defensive back this fall. In the classroom, Pullen was an Honor Graduate and finished 12th in his class.
Centre head coach Mike Pritchard is excited about the class and feels each student-athlete will be a great addition to Centre and the baseball family.
"I'm really excited about this year's class," Pritchard said. "We were able to fill our needs in the outfield as well as build depth at other positions and several of these guys have the versatility to play multiple positions, which is important for us," Pritchard added.
He also feels this year's class, like ones in the past, will bring more to Centre than just talent on the baseball field.
"Character is one of the first things we look at in recruiting and each of these young men are good people. Obviously they are all strong students, and I'm looking forward to working with each of them over the next four years to become better people, better students and better baseball players," Pritchard finished.
Centre will conduct its annual fall season starting in September and will then prepare for the 2010 season, which will begin at the end of February.
