ARKADELPHIA- Ouachita Baptist Head Baseball Coach Chris Moddelmog announces the signing of six student-athletes to their National Letter of Intents to begin at Ouachita Baptist in the fall of 2011.
Joining the Tigers baseball program will be Matt Balogh (Colby CC, KS) , Clayton Brandt (Stewardson Strasburg HS), Kyle Brown (Three Rivers CC, MO), Craig Daniell (Arkadelphia HS, AR), Jace Melby (Lovejoy HS, TX) and Parker Norris (Lovejoy HS, TX).
“We have put together a very talented class of freshmen and two JC players that address some immediate needs in our outfield,” Moddelmog said. “Coach Howard did a great job of identifying players who fit our style of play on and off the field. We really feel like these guys have a chance to make a big impact on our program in the future.”
Kyle Brown OF R/R Paragould, AR (Three Rivers CC, MO)
Brown played outfield at Three Rivers Community College under Coach Stacy Burkey, hitting .480 during the fall portion of his sophomore season, with one home run and 36 RBIs. Also among the totals were 15 doubles and four triples.
The Paragould native hit .345 with a .520 on-base percentage as a freshman. During his high school career, Brown was a Class 5A All-State and All-State Tournament Team selection as a senior, while earning all-conference honors during both his junior and senior campaigns.
Moddelmog on Brown: “Kyle is a guy who will bring some speed and power to the middle of our lineup.”
Matt Balogh OF/Utility R/R Centennial, CO (Colby CC, KS)
Balogh is an outfielder and utility player that can play all positions, coming to Ouachita from Colby Community College in Kansas after being coached by Ryan Carter. The outfielder earned all-academic honors at Colby CC, while also hitting .284 and recording 25 stolen bases.
In high school, Balogh earned a career batting average of .467 in earning an all-conference selection in 2009 and ’08. The Centennial, Colo. native holds the school record for stolen bases with 15 and was a member of the 2007 state championship baseball team. Balogh excels not only on the field, but also in the classroom, earning academic all-district honors four-straight years from 2006-09.
Coach Moddelmog on Balogh: “Matt will brings a lot to the table everyday. He is a guy who can play all over the field and can really run and handle the bat.”
Craig Daniell LHP Arkadelphia, AR (Arkadelphia HS)
Daniell will come to Ouachita from across town at Arkadelphia High School, after playing for Head Coach Brant Matros. The left handed pitcher has earned a 13-5 record on the mound during his junior and sophomore seasons, including a 1.11 ERA with 121 strikeouts in 63 innings of work during his junior year.
As a junior, Daniell was named to the Class 4A All-State team, after earning back-to-back 7-4A All-Conference honors. At the plate, the Arkadelphia native hit .403 with three home runs and 27 RBIs as a junior, after hitting .333 with 10 RBIs during his sophomore campaign. Daniell is a three-year Badger Scholar and member of the National Honor Society.
Coach Moddelmog on Daniell: “Craig is a very talented lefthander whose best days are ahead of him. We know Craig well from him being in town and we are excited to have him in our program.”
Jace Melby OF/1B R/R Allen, TX (Lovejoy HS)
Melby will report to Ouachita after playing outfield at Lovejoy High School in Allen, Texas under coach Brett Emery. The outfielder hit .343 as a junior, recording 14 doubles, four home runs, two triples and 43 RBIs in 99 at-bats.
The Allen, Texas native is a two-time District 13-3A Offensive Most Valuable Player Award recipient, while also earning the Metro Scout League Hitter of the Game for three-consecutive weeks in the Fall of 2010. Melby is also a two-year member of the National Honor Society.
Coach Moddelmog on Melby: “Jace will bring some much needed power to our ballclub. He is a very good athlete, who can run and has a very good arm as well.”
Parker Norris IF L/R Lucas, TX (Lovejoy HS)
Norris also comes to Ouachita from Lovejoy High School, after playing prep baseball as an infielder under coach Brett Emery. Norris is a two-time All-District selection, as well as earning team offensive MVP honors for Lovejoy High School his junior year.
Coach Moddelmog on Norris: “Parker is a hard nosed player who brings a lot to the table both in the field and at the plate.”
Clayton Brandt IF R/R Stewardson, IL (Stewardson Strasburg HS)
Clayton brings three years experience at the shortstop position to campus, while playing at Stewardson Strasburg High School under Mark Wascher. The infielder has collected a .367 batting average in his high school career so far, driving in 76 RBIs on 23 doubles, three home runs and five triples. To go along with his bat, Brandt has stolen 26 bases and a .960 fielding position at shortstop. The Stewardson, Illinois native is a two-time First Team All-Conference honoree.
Coach Moddelmog on Brandt: “Clayton brings a lot of energy and really understands how to play the game. He is a very talented defender with some good offensive skills as well.”
