STEEPLECATS SIGN PAIR FROM ULL and INFIELDER\
NORTH ADAMS, MA - The North Adams SteepleCats of the 12-team
New England Collegiate Baseball League announce the signings
of Michael Cook and Dayton Marze, a pair of right-handed
pitchers from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and
infielder Greg Van Horn.
Cook has had a solid rookie campaign for the Rajin' Cajuns
as he has already become a starter for ULL, going 4-2 with a
4.50 ERA in eight games (four starts.) In 32 innings, he has
struck out 20 batters and has kept the ball down, serving up
just three homers this season. Standing at 6'5", the tall
righty was one of the most sought after pitchers in the
Louisiana after posting a 1.64 ERA as a high school junior
and being named All-State as a senior.
"Cook has the potential to be dominant in the NECBL and the
foundation of becoming a professional a few years down the
road. ULL has a tremendous program and to step in as a true
freshman and start right away says a lot about his ability,"
McGrath said.
Van Horn made an immediate impact as a freshman playing for
the Princeton Tigers last season slotting third on the team
in hitting at .323 with four homers and 20 RBI. Although a
natural shortstop, Van Horn was used in the outfield as well
last season in order to make sure he was in the line-up
every game. Van Horn knows how to get on base as he was
second on Princeton with a .429 OBP thanks in large part to
14 times being hit by a pitch and led the team in steals
with eight. A terrific overall athlete, Van Horn lettered in
three sports at Cranford HS in Cranford, NJ. He was a
two-time all county selection hitting .447 as a junior.
Although not playing baseball this spring, he is currently
enrolled at Brookdale Community College in New Jersey where
he'll be earning his Associates degree while weighing his
options for next season. Two potential schools are the U. of
Delaware and Elon U.
"Greg comes highly recommended from his former coach at
Princeton and is being highly recruited right now for next
year. Wherever he ends up, they know they will be signing an
impact player who has the make-up of furthering his career
professionally. Although he isn't playing baseball this
spring, we know that Greg is working harder than most in
order to make sure that he begins the NECBL season with the
same success that he had at Princeton during his freshman
year."
A teammate of Cook's at Louisiana-Lafayette, Marze was
another prized player recruited to Lafayette out of
Teurlings Catholic and is being red-shirted this season. On
the mound, he led the Rebels to three state playoff
appearances and was All-State as a senior. Marze was also an
accomplished basketball player having garnered all-state
honors. "Although he is being red-shirted this season, ULL
does a phenomenal job developing their players, in
particular their pitchers. He has an electric arm, like
Cook, with a fastball between 88-92, a two-seam fastball
with movement, and slider. The coaches are looking for him
to refine his skills this spring and become more consistent
on the mound over the course of the year as they expect him
to be a major part of their pitching staff next season,"
said McGrath.
Two of Cook and Marze's teammates played for the SteepleCats
last summer. Gregory Harmon is currently 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA
in 11 appearances. He's given up 26 hits in 21 innings while
continuing his strike-out success from the NECBL as he has
also retired 19 batters on strike-outs. Greg Wilborn had arm
surgery and is rehabbing this spring. Wilborn continues to
make progress and expects to be recovered and pitching for
ULL next season.
The SteepleCats will open their 2008 campaign with a three
game home stand, starting on June 6th with a date against
the Torrington Twisters. June 7th sees the Newport Gulls
come to Joe Wolfe Field with the weekend concluding against
the Manchester Silkworms on June 8th. All three games have a
first pitch slated for 7 p.m. with the gates opening at 6
p.m. For more information, visit
www.steeplecats.com
In case you haven't purchased your season ticket for the
upcoming season, please visit one of the 7 local businesses
listed here to purchase your full season's ticket or 10-pack
ticket. The Full Season Family Plan is $100; Full Season
Individual Plan is $70; Ten-Pack Family Plan is $60; and the
Ten-Pack Individual Plan is $45. Tickets are sold at all of
the following locations: Adams: Val's Variety; Clarksburg:
Cross Road Variety; North Adams: Man's World and Moulton's
General Store; Stamford, VT: Billmont's Country Store, and
in Williamstown at Angelina's Submarine Shop and St.Pierre's
Barber Shop.
