Vikings Add 21 Newcomers to Baseball Roster

Coach Beasley

Berry College head baseball coach David Beasley announced today that 21 student-athletes will join the program for the 2010-11 academic and athletic year.  Included in that list are three transfers and 18 incoming freshmen.

The three transfer students include right handed pitchers Levi Austin (Cartersville, Ga./Woodland HS/Reinhardt College) and Daniel Boccella (Fairburn, Ga./Our Lady of Mercy Catholic HS/Covenant College), and catcher Cason Dremann (Hogansville, Ga./Callaway HS/Andrew College).  The freshmen include pitcher Carter Reese (Hendersonville, Tenn./Pope John Paul II HS); pitcher/outfielders Casey Coats (Bremen, Ga./Bremen HS), Taylor Kent (Birmingham, Ala./John Carroll Catholic HS), Cameron Mirtsching (Austin, Texas/St. Michael’s Catholic Academy) and Morgan Thompson (Newnan, Ga./Newnan HS); pitcher/infielders Zach Farmer (Newnan, Ga./Newnan HS) and Chance Hicks (Columbus, Ga./Shaw HS); catchers Brett Hardy (Cartersville, Ga./Woodland HS) and Will Heard (Columbus, Ga./Northside Columbus HS); infielders Brandon Anders (Cartersville, Ga./Woodland HS), T.C.Boyd (Rome, Ga./Armuchee HS), Drew McDuffie (Fairburn, Ga./Landmark Christian School), Garrett Meyer (Columbus, Ga./Northside HS), Austin Neely (Kennesaw, Ga./Harrison HS) and Ryan Penge (Kennesaw, Ga./Harrison HS); infielder/outfielder Preston Neely (Kennesaw, Ga./Harrison HS); and outfielders Dylan Hanks (Cartersville, Ga./Woodland HS) and Will Schaefer (Tampa, Fla./Jesuit HS).

“This is the largest class I’ve brought in since I’ve been at Berry,” said Beasley, who is beginning his 14th year as the Vikings’ head coach.  “This is a very talented class of student-athletes who will be looked upon to help replace a lot of players who have graduated.  But, we also have a lot of great players returning, too, and I’m looking forward to putting this group of incoming players into the mix with the returnees and watching them grow as a team.

“These guys (the newcomers) are young, but they are super-talented,” Beasley continued.  “And, one advantage that we have is many of them have already played together, so I anticipate that familiarity will help tremendously.”

The Vikings are coming off a season in which it finished with a 23-17 overall record.

Berry College is beginning its second year in transition from the NAIA to NCAA Division III status.  In its final year as a full member of the NAIA in 2009, the Vikings advanced to the NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho.

As a provisional member of NCAA Division III, Berry College does not offer financial aid to students based on athletics.  Consequently, student-athletes do not “sign” athletic grants-in-aid with Berry.

A player-by-player breakdown of the team’s newcomers follows.

Transfers:
LEVI AUSTIN
RHP – R/R – 6-4 – 210 – Cartersville, Ga. (Woodland HS/Reinhardt College)
Prior to Berry: Sat out the 2010 season at Reinhardt College due to an injury…as a freshman, Austin appeared in 10 games for the Eagles, putting together a 5-3 record  and a 2.93 ERA…he fanned 33 batters in 40 innings of work…that season, he allowed one earned run in six and one-third innings in a loss to a Berry team that was bound for the NAIA World Series…played for current Berry assistant coach Shane West and former Berry player Cory Gochee at Woodland High School…in 23 career high school appearances, Austin won nine games, put together a 1.93 ERA and fanned 113 batters in 93 innings…he also helped lead the Wildcats to the quarterfinals of the 2007 state playoffs.

DANIEL BOCCELLA
RHP – R/R – 5-10 – 180 – Fairburn, Ga. (Our Lady of Mercy Catholic School/Covenant College)
Prior to Berry: Pitched four innings for Covenant College in 2010…during his high school career, Boccella put together a 4.50 earned run average and struck out 6.5 batters per nine innings…a team captain in each of his final two years…earned his team’s Coach’s Award as a senior and was a Gold Glove award winner as a sophomore.

CASON DREMANN
C – L/R – 6-1 – 205 – Hogansville, Ga. (Callaway HS/Andrew College)
Prior to Berry: Batted over .300 with nearly 200 at-bats throughout two seasons at Andrew College, a member of the Georgia Junior College Athletic Association…helped Callaway to a pair of Region 5-AA championships and a state semifinal appearance as a junior…Callaway made the playoffs in each of Dremann’s four years…an All-County selection as a junior and senior…named team’s best defensive player as a junior…on the gridiron, earned first team All-Region 5-AA honors as a punter…an honor student who earned the Award of Excellence by Southern Therapy Services…earned Scholar-Athlete award…honored with Kaden Williams Scholarship for showing sportsmanship and character on and off the field.

Freshmen:
BRANDON ANDERS
INF – R/R – 5-10 – 145 – Cartersville, Ga. (Woodland HS)
Prior to Berry: Played second base primarily….hit .284 with one home run and 11 runs batted in as a senior…hit .310 with runners in scoring position…named his team’s Defensive Player of the Year.

T.C. BOYD
INF – R/R – 6-0 – 170 – Rome, Ga. (Armuchee HS)
Prior to Berry: Hit .408 as a senior at Armuchee High School…scored 22 runs and drove in 15…swiped nine bases…struck out just four times all season…earned second team All-Area honors from the Rome News-Tribune in 2010…honorable mention All-Area selection in 2007, 2008 and 2009…helped lead Armuchee to state playoffs in 2007 and 2008…the 2008 squad earned the South sub-region championship…played on East Cobb team that won the 2002 Continental Amateur Baseball Association World Series championship team.

CASEY COATS
LHP/OF – R/L – 5-11 – 155 – Bremen, Ga. (Bremen HS)
Prior to Berry: Tossed a pair of no-hitters and went 3-1 with 19 strikeouts on the mound for Bremen…Hit .300 with 12 runs scored…played on a Bremen team that won the regional championship and advanced to the second round of the state playoffs in 2008 and 2010…Bremen advanced to the third round of the 2009 state playoffs after finishing second in the region…also a member of the football team that won three regional titles while he was in uniform…an honor student who earned scholar-athlete awards in both football and baseball, and was a member of the Principle’s Honor Roll…Named Bremen’s Outstanding Senior…also earned 2010 Citizenship Award, U.S. Army Scholar-Athlete award, U.S. Marine Corps Distinguished Athlete award, physical education award, physics award, 2009 George Morris Chick-Fil-A Bowl scholarship, Blue and White award, Stan Slaughter scholarship…brother, Tyler, was a first baseman at Berry and earned NAIA athletic and academic All-American honors.

ZACH FARMER
C/1B/RHP – R/R – 6-2 – 215 – Newnan, Ga. (Newnan HS)
Prior to Berry: Hit .415 with 18 home runs and 61 runs batted, while putting together a 12-0 record on the mound with 65 strikeouts in 60 2/3 innings of work during his high school career…held opposing batters to a .160 batting average during career…as a senior, hit .414 with two homers and 23 RBIs…6-0 with 35 strikeouts in 33 2/3 innings, while holding opponents to a .189 batting average as a pitcher in his senior year…team reached state quarterfinals in 2008 and 2009…in 2010, tossed a shutout against Valdosta in a must-win game two of their state playoff series…earned his baseball team’s Senior Award…on the gridiron, honored with the Newnan’s Golden Helmet Award for outstanding performance in athletics and academics…an honors graduate who earned a foreign language seal…a member of the inaugural Baseball for Christ team, made up of 16-19 year old players, which plays baseball, conducts camps and performs missionary work in Mexico.

DYLAN HANKS
OF – L/L – 5-8 – 135 – Cartersville, Ga. (Woodland HS)
Prior to Berry: Hit .280 over the course of his high school career…solid defensive player did not commit an error in the outfield as a senior…played for former Berry player Corey Gochee at Woodland.

BRETT HARDY
C – R/R – 5-9 – 150 – Cartersville, Ga. (Woodland HS)
Prior to Berry: Hit .224 over the course of his career…threw out 22 of 56 would-be base stealers during his career, including 13 of 25 as a senior…helped the Wildcats to the quarterfinals of the state tournament in 2007…earned the Wendy’s High School Heisman award…played for former Berry player Corey Gochee at Woodland..an honors graduate who was a member of the National Society of High School Scholars and earned a Georgia State merit award.

WILL HEARD
C – L/R – 6-0 – 180 – Columbus, Ga. (Northside Columbus HS)
Prior to Berry: Hit .317 as a senior…recorded a .474 on-base percentage in final year…helped Northside Columbus to playoff appearances in each of his final three seasons, including back-to-back state quarterfinal appearances in 2009 and 2010…earned his team’s Defensive Player of the Year honor in 2009…Patriot Award winner in 2010…NBC 38’s Scholar-Athlete of the Week.

CHANCE HICKS
RHP/INF – R/R – 6-0 – 185 (Columbus, Ga./Shaw HS)
Prior to Berry: Hit .382 with two home runs and 11 runs batted in as a senior at Shaw…recorded a .444 on-base percentage and a .520 slugging percentage…2-3 with a team-best 1.83 earned run average as a pitcher in senior season…of the 95 batters he faced, he fanned 35 and walked just eight…helped team to an appearance in the 2008 state playoffs…earned Rubber Arm award as a junior…earned three varsity letters in baseball…a member of the honor roll and class council at Shaw.

TAYLOR KENT
RHP/OF – R/R – 5-11 – 175 – Birmingham, Ala. (John Carroll Catholic HS)
Prior to Berry: A four-year baseball letter winner, he was 5-2 with a 3.59 earned run average as a senior…hard throwing right hander struck out 35 batters in 39 innings in final year…overall, struck out 55 batters in 60 innings and recorded a 3.15 ERA…won the clutch player award as a senior…helped John Carroll to the third round of the state playoffs in 2008…the football team’s captain as a senior, he led that team to the state playoffs…honor student is a member of Mu Alpha Theta…received the President’s Award of Educational Achievement for outstanding academic achievement…selected by high school faculty to attend the National Youth Leadership Council in Washington, D.C., in 2008…active participant in Habitat for Humanity.

DREW McDUFFIE
INF – R/R – 5-9 – 168 – Fairburn, Ga. (Landmark Christian School)
Prior to Berry: A four-year letter winner and three-year starter at Landmark Christian…hit .415 with three home runs and 25 runs batted in as a senior…hit over .300 as a sophomore and junior…team earned playoff bid all four years…Landmark Christian finished as state runner-up in both 2008 and 2009…member of the honor roll and Beta Club.

GARRETT MEYER
INF – R/R – 5-9 – 160 – Columbus, Ga. (Northside HS)
Prior to Berry: Hit .393 and recorded an on-base percentage of .389 as a senior at Northside…earned his team’s Most Improved, Scholar-Athlete and Coaches awards…a member of the National Honor Society…earned the Outstanding Senior Engineering award.

CAMERON MIRTSCHING
OF/LHP – L/L – 5-11 – 170 – Austin, Texas (St. Michael’s Catholic Academy)
Prior to Berry: Hit .400 (84-for-210) with six home runs and 41 runs batted in during his high school career…33 of his 84 hits went for extra bases (20 doubles, seven triples, six home runs)…successful on 42-of-43 stolen base attempts…score 59 runs…went 5-5 with one save and a 2.18 earned run average on the mound…struck out 118 batters and walked 44 in 90 innings of work…As a senior, hit .481 (38-for-79) with six homers, seven doubles and three triples…drove in 14 runs…24-for-25 on stolen base attempts in final high school season…started in 13 of 14 pitching appearances as a senior, going 5-5 with a 2.56 ERA…struck out 83 batters in 71 inning…earned first team Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) All-State honors, as well as TAPPS District 2-5A All-District honors as a senior…team’s MVP as a senior…earned All-District 16-5A honors as a junior…high school coach was former Major League pitcher Calvin Schiraldi, who appeared in the 1986 World Series with the Boston Red Sox and was also named the Most Outstanding Player of the 1983 College World Series after leading the University of Texas to the national championship.

AUSTIN NEELY
INF – L/R – 5-9 – 165 – Kennesaw, Ga. (Harrison HS)
Prior to Berry: Hit .387 (46-for-119) with a pair of home runs and 33 runs batted in as a senior…recorded eight doubles and one triple…team won the Class AAAAA state championship and finished with a No. 15 national ranking by USA Today…A second-team All-County selection…two varsity letters on the diamond and three football letters…named a two-sport scholar by the Marietta Daily Journal in 2010…member of the Atlanta Braves 400 Club All-Star team…a four-year member of the honor roll…graduated with honors…brother, Preston, is also a freshman on Berry’s baseball team.

PRESTON NEELY
INF/OF – R/R – 5-10 – 170 – Kennesaw, Ga. (Harrison HS)
Prior to Berry: Hit .318 (27-for-85) with two home runs and 17 runs batted in as a senior…also had a double and a triple…scored 21 runs… team won the Class AAAAA state championship and finished with a No. 15 national ranking by USA Today…A second-team All-County selection…two varsity letters on the diamond and three football letters…earned a Defensive Player of the Week honor from the Cobb Touchdown Club during football season…a 2010 Marietta Daily Journal two-sport scholar…honor roll member all four years of high school…graduated with honors…brother, Austin, is also a freshman on Berry’s baseball team.

RYAN PENGE
INF – R/R – 5-7 – 160 – Kennesaw, Ga. (Harrison HS)
Prior to Berry: Hit .305 and recorded a .426 on-base percentage as the starting third baseman as a senior at Harrison…hit .322 over the course of his career…joined Berry teammates Austin and Preston Neely in helping lead Harrison to the 2010 Class AAAAA state championship…earned two varsity letters on the diamond…an honor roll graduate…summer team, East Cobb Cardinals, were recognized as the East Cobb Team of the Year…named Cardinals’ defensive player of the year in 2008 and 2009…2007 East Cobb Baseball MVP award winner…highly-respected recruiting service Perfect Game listed Penge as a top-50 prospect in the World Wood Bat Association.

CARTER REESE
RHP – R/R – 6-1 – 170 – Hendersonville, Tenn. (Pope John Paul II HS)
Prior to Berry: As a senior in 2010, Reese went 4-3 with a 3.16 ERA and recorded three saves…struck out 66 batters and walked just 20 in 49 innings…over the course of his prep career, Reese was 8-6 with three saves, struck out 133 batters and walked 46 in 100 innings…put together a 3.25 ERA during his prep career…earned first-team All-Region and first team All-Sumner County honors as a junior and senior…Set school records for strikeouts in a game, a season and a career…team captain his senior year…earned team’s Leadership Award as a senior…honor student is a member of Mu Alpha Theta and National Art Honor Society…earned Latin award.

WILL SCHAEFER
OF – R/R – 6-1 – 160 – Tampa, Fla. (Jesuit HS)
Prior to Berry: Hit .333 as a senior at Jesuit…helped lead the Tigers to a Class 4A state runner-up finish…earned two varsity baseball letters and three letters on the gridiron…former Major League all-star Fred McGriff was one of his baseball coaches at Jesuit, and former Heisman Trophy winner Vinny Testeverde was on the football coaching staff there…a member of the National Honor Society and Cum Laude Society.

MORGAN THOMPSON
RHP/OF – R/R – 6-0 – 160 – Newnan, Ga. (Newnan HS)
Prior to Berry: 1-0 with a save as a senior at Newnan…recorded a team-best 1.29 earned run average…struck out 11 batters in 14 innings of work…held opponents to a .177 batting average…hit .217 with 10 runs batted in as a senior…helped lead team to state quarterfinals in 2008 and 2009…earned team’s Bryant Budd award…was a spokesperson for a Baseball For Christ mission trip to Mexico…graduated with honors…earned a Spanish Language Seal…member of the Spanish Club, A-Team, FCS and Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD).