Marshall University Athletics
Baseball Announces 2001-2002 Signees
10/7/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Baseball Announces 2001-2002 Signees
10/7/2001
Huntington, W.Va.-Marshall University head baseball coach Dave Piepenbrink has signed seven new players for the upcoming season. Pitchers and left-handed hitters highlight the recruiting class.
?We feel like these players can come in and make an immediate impact,? Piepenbrink stated. ?We lost some offense last year, and that needed to be addressed; but, we also needed to sign some quality pitchers. Each guy comes from a quality program, has a winning attitude and will help take us to the next level.?
The Herd filled the need for hitting with a couple of Canadians. Mike Koitsopoulos, a 5?11", 180-pound sophomore from Markham, Canada, will play shortstop and third baseman for the Herd this season. In addition Koitsopoulos will try out for the Greek Olympic team later this year. Craig Dziedzieko, a 6?7", 240-pound junior from Kitchner, Ontario, comes to Marshall from Pratt County Community College where he completed two successful seasons.
Marshall also filled the need for left-handed hitters by signing Stuart Shephard and Chris Fritz. Shephard, a 6?3", 195-pound first baseman from Fairland, OH, hit .350 last year for Fairland High School. Fritz, a 5?10" 160-pound pitcher from Ashland, KY, led his team in hits with 57 and had a .380 batting average for Boyd County High School. He also went 9-0 with a 1.08 ERA as a pitcher.
Other pitchers in the recruiting class include Kevin Ruhl, a 6?7", 230-pound, left handed pitcher from Fairfield, OH, and Patrick Molinari, a 6?2" 190-pound, right handed pitcher from Joliet Junior College (IL). Ruhl posted a 6-0 record and a 2.15 ERA as a senior for Fairfield High School while Molinari finished his career at Joliet with a career 2.87 ERA, third best in team history.
Roddy Steiger, a 6?0?, 165-pound catcher and infielder from Cincinnati, OH, rounds out the recruiting class. Steiger batted .300 and hit four home runs as a senior for Lakota West High School.
Marshall opens the season with a series at Winthrop University, a NCAA tournament team last year, in Rock Hill, SC, February 9-10.
