Baseball
A Redwood Stepping Stone
By Jackie Christensen/Eureka Reporter
Jan 14, 2008, 09:44

Out of the nine sophomores on the College of the Redwoods baseball team last year, eight have gone on to either four-year universities or better.

“Usually it’s about 50 percent of our sophomores that go on to play at the next level, but this past year it was eight-of-nine,” said CR head coach Bob Brown. “We’re all very proud of that and extremely happy for the players.”

To make the situation even better, seven of the eight players who have gone on are local, with the exception being sophomore pitcher David Kennedy out of Las Vegas, who has signed a professional contract with the Grand Prairie AirHogs in the American Association League.

“For all these local kids to get the opportunity to play somewhere else after CR, it kind of goes against the local misperception that CR is the end of the road,” Brown said. “It’s actually just a stepping stone.”

Arcata’s Dane Grytness, McKinleyville’s Hop Sullivan and Eureka’s Jimmy Smith are all playing at Bethany College, a powerful NAIA school in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, while former Arcata player Greg Fisher is pitching on scholarship at Cal State Monterey Bay.

Former CR catcher and Eureka High standout Brad Morgan is currently playing at Sonoma State, while former McKinleyville and Eureka infielder Lee Hawkins is at the University of Wisconsin, Platteville.

Rounding out CR’s elite eight is Ryan Thomas, a pitcher out of Eureka, who received a full ride to pitch at Menlo College in Palo Alto.

“It was a great year for us,” Brown said. “I’ve spoken with many of the players who are home for the holidays, and they all seem to be doing well. It’s just a great thing both for the players and our program.”

The Corsairs open the 2008 season Jan. 25 at home against Mendocino.

Corsairs on the up-and-up

• Greg Fisher, Arcata
Pitcher at Cal State Monterey

• Brad Morgan, Eureka
Catcher at Sonoma State

• Jimmy Smith, Eureka
Catcher at Bethany College

• Dane Grytness, Arcata
Utility player at Bethany College

• Hop Sullivan, McKinleyville
Infielder at Bethany College

• Ryan Thomas, Eureka
Pitcher at Menlo College

• David Kennedy, Las Vegas
Signed professional contract to pitch for the Grand Prairie AirHogs in the
American Association League

• Lee Hawkins, McKinleyville/Eureka
Infielder at University of Wisconsin, Platteville


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