Lewis Baseball Adds Six To Round Out 2013-14 Roster

Submitted by Lewis University

Lewis University head baseball coach Tim McDonough announced on Tuesday the addition of six new members to the Flyers' squad for the 2013-14 school year.
 
Eann Cox (Erie, Ill./Erie/Black Hawk College), Jared Pyatt (Pekin, Ill./Pekin/Illinois Central), Cale Robinson (Weldon, Ill./Clinton/Lincoln College), Harry Vickers (Aurora, Ill./Waubonsie Valley/Waubonsee CC), Josh Walinski (Wauconda, Ill./Carmel) and Kelton Zimmerman (Glen Ellyn, Ill./St. Francis/College of DuPage) join the six recruits from the early signing period to become McDonough's largest recruiting class since the 2007-08 season.
 
"I couldn't be happier with the additions of these six student-athletes to the program," McDonough said. "I feel we have not only made the program better for this upcoming season, but we have also positioned ourselves to remain strong for the next few years. 
 
"Although we have many starters from last year's Regional team returning, I can't wait to see the competition in the fall."
 
Cox (6-2, 240, pitcher/infielder) heads to Lewis after helping Black Hawk College to back-to-back Arrowhead Conference and Sectional titles in 2012 and 2013. The 2013 All-Conference pitcher and infielder put together a 6-4 record on the mound with a 1.82 ERA with 80 strikeouts. At the plate, Cox hit .370 with eight doubles and 36 RBI. In 2011, the three-time letterman was an All-State selection and helped the Erie squad to a third-place finish at the Class 2A State Championship, finishing with a 26-5-1 record. As a senior, he hit .486 with six home runs, 16 doubles, and 48 RBI while going 10-1 on the mound with a 1.13 ERA and 126 strikeouts.
 
"Eann is a right-handed power pitcher and should jump into our weekend rotation right away," McDonough said. "He has three plus pitches that he can command and throw in any count.
 
"Eann also is an outstanding hitter and could compete for at-bats as well."
 
Pyatt (6-0, 205, infielder) joins the Flyers with two years of collegiate experience at Illinois Central College (ICC), after helping the Cougars to an ICC-record 38 win season in 2013. As a sophomore, he hit .315 with 13 doubles and two home runs. A four-year letterman at Pekin, Pyatt hit .472 with 12 doubles, 10 home runs and 31 RBI, to earn Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association (IHSBCA) Class 4A All-State and Mid-Illini Conference First Team honors in 2011.
 
"Jared is someone I have had my eye on for awhile and I am extremely excited to have him in the program," McDonough said. "He was an All-State performer out of high school and has put together two solid seasons at the plate at ICC, playing in one of the toughest conferences in junior college baseball."
 
Robinson (6-0, 195, catcher) hit .273 with 11 doubles, a triple and 22 RBI with a .400 on-base percentage in 2013 for Lincoln College. He had a .995 fielding percentage, only committing one error and caught 25 runners attempting to steal on Lynx pitchers. In his prep career at Clinton, he was a three-time letterman earning All-Okaw Valley Conference and All-Area First Team honors as a senior. In 2011, Robinson posted a .455 batting average with 25 doubles, three triples, six home runs and 51 RBI. He was also a Bloomington Pantagraph All-Star Game and IHSBCA All-Star Game selection as a senior.
 
"Cale is another junior college product who should push for playing time behind the plate for us," McDonough said. "With his high baseball IQ, Cale really competes in the batter's box and has the ability to hit for a high average."
 
Vickers (5-9, 195, third base) joins the Lewis squad after earning back-to-back All-Conference honors at Waubonsee Community College. In 2013, he helped the Chiefs to a National Junior College Athletic Association Division III World Series appearance and finish with a 38-24-1 record. Vickers hit .336 with eight doubles, 31 RBI, and stole 18 bases. In his senior season at Waubonsie Valley, he was an All-Conference honoree as he hit .333, with five home runs, four doubles, and 28 RBI.
 
"Harry was a big part of a WCC team that finished third in the country at the JUCO World Series," McDonough said. "I anticipate he will compete for a starting spot on the infield due to his mature approach at the plate and has a chance to be a middle of the order hitter."
 
Walinski (6-1, 180, outfielder), a two-sport star at Carmel, helped the baseball squad to Conference titles in 2011 and 2013, accumulating 51 wins over those two seasons. He also gained playing experience with the Athletic Barn Chicago squad from 2010-12.
 
"Josh is one of the best athletes we have ever recruited during my time at Lewis," McDonough said. "He runs a legitimate 6.4 60-yard dash and might be the fastest player on our roster already. 
 
"He is advanced in the outfield and has a strong, accurate arm."
 
Zimmerman (5-11, 170, catcher) was an All-Region First Team selection in 2013 for the College of DuPage, after hitting .402 with 10 doubles and 18 RBI with 16 stolen bases. In his senior season, he hit .345 with a home run and 22 RBI as he helped the St. Francis Spartans to a 25-13 record and the Sectional Championship. Zimmerman was also a member of the Rockford Foresters squad in the Midwest Collegiate League this summer.
 
"I am very excited to have Kelton in the program and feel he has a chance to be a terrific catcher in the GLVC," McDonough said. "Kelton receives and blocks the ball extremely well and is a steadying presence behind the plate."
 
The six new members join early signees Grant Bridgewater (Bay City, Mich./Bay City Western), Brandon Collins (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln Way North/South Suburban College), Sam Couch (Bolingbrook, Ill./Joliet Catholic), Brad Elmore (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook), James Holub (Wauconda, Ill./Wauconda) and Kyle Klosak (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North/College of DuPage) to play for Lewis in 2014.