Trojans Sign Seven in Early Signing Period

Troy University Head Baseball Coach Bobby Pierce announced the 2012 signing class for the early signing period that ended November 16. Seven players will be added to the program and begin their career during the 2013 baseball season. This group represents the 10^th recruiting class Pierce and his staff has assembled during his tenure in Troy. He believes this group fills the immediate roster needs the program will have after the 2012 season.

“Six of the seven players pitch while three of them have the potential to be dual threat players and three of the four hitters swing from the left side,” Pierce said. “Our staff works hard to target players that address our roster needs and we lose some very talented pitchers from our 2012 team.”

Pierce is referring to senior pitchers All-American Tyler Ray, Tyson Workman, a returning all-conference performer, Drew Hull, who is returning for his 5^th year after successful surgery, as well as senior left-handers A.J. Howard and Garrett McHenry.

The seven signees include two high school seniors and five junior college transfers. They include Levi Tate, a left-handed pitcher from Enterprise High School; T. J. Binder, left-handed hitting catcher from Ooltewah (Tenn.) HS; Will Starling, right-handed pitcher and infielder from Southern Union State College and a Troy native; Ben Tidwell, left-handed pitcher from Gulf Coast State College and a product of G. W. Long High School; Tanner Hicks, right-handed pitcher from Central Alabama Community College; Matthew Howard, right-handed pitcher and infielder from Northwest Florida State College in Niceville, Florida and Trae Santos, left-handed pitcher and infielder from Northwest Florida State College.

Levi Tate finished with a 8-3 record during his junior season at Enterprise High School and for his career is 20-6 with 166 strikeouts and just 34 walks. He is a perfect 5-0 in the post-season during his first three years at EHS. For his efforts, Tate has earned All-State selections following his sophomore and junior years as well as earning Dothan Eagle Super 12 recognition both years. He was also in the rotation for the Dothan Post 12 American Legion team that won the 2011 State Championship and competed in the Southeastern Regional Tournament.

Coach Pierce on Tate “Levi Tate has developed into a quality left-hand pitcher that we believe will impact our program. His ability to throw strikes and change speeds at a young age should bode well for his future at the Division I level. He is also a first class young man that has impeccable character and an impressive academic background. He will be an outstanding addition to our institution and baseball program.”

During his high school career, T. J. Binder has hit .470 with 33 doubles and nine home runs, while driving in 63 runs over his first three years at Ooltewah High School in the Chattanooga, Tennessee area. After his sophomore and junior years, he was named both 1^st Team All-District and 1^st Team Best of Preps by the Chattanooga Free Press. After his junior year, Binder was selected a Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association All-Star and was selected to Team Tennessee to play in the major Sun Belt Tournament last summer in Oklahoma. He also has played for the prestigious Chattanooga Cyclones organization the last few years and has been named “Best Hitter” on two different teams as well as most valuable player this fall.

Coach Pierce on Binder: “Our first chance to see T. J. play was in a summer tournament here in Troy with the Chattanooga Cyclones organization. He quickly impressed our coaches with his overall hitting ability and power potential. He has made a transition from the infield to behind the plate and we believe his future as a catcher is very bright. We are excited to add a left-handed hitter of his caliber into our program.”

Will Starling, a native of Troy and graduate of Pike Liberal Arts School will transfer to Troy University from Southern Union State College in Wadley, Alabama. Starling was named Honorable Mention NJCAA All-American after his freshman campaign in 2011. He finished 11-4 with a 2.89 earned run average. He struck out 106 and walked 28 hitters while also being named 1^st Team All-Conference and earning a spot on the All-Tournament team of the 2011 State Tournament. As a high school junior and senior at Pike Liberal Arts School, he was named All-State and was part of the Dothan Eagle Super 12 team both years. Starling also will play the infield when not pitching at Southern Union and will figure into the Trojan plans as a left hand hitter upon his arrival next fall.

Coach Pierce on Starling: “Will Starling quickly emerged as one of the top pitchers in our state as a freshman at Southern Union. He had a dominating year on the mound and should be at the top of the rotation again as a sophomore. Our coaching staff targeted Will early in the recruiting process and were excited to learn he wanted to come home to Troy and play for the Trojans. He will be an important addition to our pitching rotation and should provide some much needed left hand hitting to our program.”

Ben Tidwell will enter the Trojan program after choosing to attend Gulf Coast State College after graduating high school at G. W. Long in Skipperville. Tidwell was a high school recruit of the Trojans two years ago but opted for a quality junior college program in Panama City, Florida. He earned second team All-Conference honors as a freshman at Gulf Coast after posting a 6-2 record and a solid 3.86 earned run average. The left-handed hurler was also a key member of the state champion Dothan Post 12 team this past summer. In high school, Tidwell earned All-State honors in 2010, was the Wiregrass Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2009, and was named to the Dothan Eagle Super 12 in 2008, 2009 and 2010 while also earning All-Conference honors each of those years.

Coach Pierce on Tidwell: “Ben Tidwell has been a target of our program since his junior year at one of the most successful high school programs in our state, G. W. Long High School just down the road in Skipperville. We are very excited that he wanted to return closer to home and sign with the Trojans. On the mound, he competes extremely hard and has won at every level he has pitched. Ben will be a great fit in our program.”

Trae Santos is a powerful left-handed hitter that plays first base and also pitches for his current junior college program at Northwest Florida State College in Niceville, Florida. As a freshman, he hit .355 with five doubles and six homers while driving in 41 runs for the state runner-up. He made great strides this fall and will play a significant role on the mound for the Raiders. He graduated from Pelham High School in Pelham, Alabama in 2010. He was named a Louisville Slugger All-American after both his junior and senior seasons while also being named the Shelby County Pitcher of the Year as a junior in 2009.

Coach Pierce on Santos: “Trae has proven to be one of the most feared hitters in the difficult Panhandle conference at Northwest Florida. We believe he will return to his dominant form on the mound during his sophomore year as we expect his pitching role to expand this spring. He is a left-handed hitter that will contribute quickly with his bat and the fact that he can pitch is an added bonus for our program. We expect great things from Trae once he gets on campus.”

Matthew Howard will join his junior college teammate Trae Santos at Troy after signing with the Trojans. Howard earned all-conference honors as a closer at Northwest Florida State College his freshman year earning 3 saves and posting a 1.34 earned run average. He has the versatility to play all four infield positions as well as being able to play in the outfield. He graduated from Southside High School in Gadsden, Alabama where his head coach was Blake Bone, a former player for head coach Bobby Pierce at Alabama-Huntsville. During his junior and senior campaigns at Southside, Howard hit .400 with 19 home runs, knocked in 88 runs and earned 13 saves with an era under 2.00. He earned All-State honors each year. He also earned All-State honors in basketball as a junior and senior at Southside.

Coach Pierce on Howard: “Matthew Howard is a great athlete that has unlimited potential both on the mound and as a player. He has gained valuable experience as a closer both in high school and in college and we expect him to continue in that role for the Trojans. We have had several two-way players that have been great at the end of the game and we believe Matthew will continue that tradition.”

Tanner Hicks, a native of Millbrook, Alabama and a current sophomore pitcher at Central Alabama Community College, completes the class of seven players signing with the Trojans in the early period. Hicks compiled a 5-2 record as a freshman with a 2.46 ERA and he was named second team All-Region. He is a graduate of Stanhope Elmore High School where he earned All-Metro honors as a junior. As a senior, he was named an Elmore County Joe Sewell Memorial Award Finalist. He also earned Most Valuable Player honors in the Montgomery Metro Baseball League after both his junior and senior years.

Coach Pierce on Hicks: “Tanner has progressed extremely well since high school as evidenced with his success as a freshman at CACC. We are encouraged by his development on the mound and love his versatility as a potential starter or reliever. He has a quality-breaking ball with excellent command of the ball, which should give him a great chance to have success at the Division-I level. His entire family has ties to our university and we are excited about his opportunity at Troy.”

Troy will open the 2012 regular season at Riddle-Pace Field on February 17 at 6:00 p.m. against the Central Michigan Chippewas of the Mid-American Conference.

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Troy University Athletics

Trojans Sign Seven in Early Signing Period

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