MONMOUTH, Ill. - Fourteen athletes who prepped in the
Monmouth-Peoria area are slated to play baseball at Monmouth College next spring,
according to Fighting Scots coach Roger Sander.
“I like my class,” said Sander, who also landed a few players
from the Chicago area. “I expect the class to go out and offer immediate help. We lost a
tremendous class, but we think we met our needs for next spring.”
Sander lost his top three pitchers from last year’s squad, as
well as his 3-4-5 hitters. Those players were the backbone of a Fighting Scots team that
placed in the top 16 in the nation, advancing to the final of the Monmouth Regional, one
of eight regionals in the country. Monmouth reached the championship game by twice
defeating Aurora University, the third-rated team in the nation. The Scots finished at
26-13, setting a school record for victories.
“I don’t want to take anything away from what last season’s team
accomplished, but I believe we’ll be better next year,” said Sander. “We think the two
classes that we’ve recruited now back-to-back are very strong.”
Leading recruits from the area include pitcher Luke Atkins (a
transfer from Parkland Community College), catcher Josh Ragar (Southern), infielders
Matt Gordon (Abingdon) and Tristan Reimolds (a transfer from North Central College) and
outfielder Jason Salmon (a transfer from Black Hawk College). Reimolds hit .469 for
Monmouth’s 2001 Class A state finalist team and Atkins and Salmon played their high
school ball at Peoria Notre Dame.
Other incoming freshmen include Illini Bluffs’ Luke Young,
Havana’s Jeff Tucker, Limestone’s Nathan Clark, Williamsfield’s Kyle Gibbs, IVC’s Trent
Jordan, Phil Peacock and Trevor Thacker and La Harpe’s Jason Myers. Clark hit .324 for
Limestone’s state quarterfinal team this year.
Adam Chase, a transfer from Illinois Community College, played
his high school ball at Olympia and hit .336 for their state quarterfinal team in 2000,
going 7-0 on the mound.
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