Wednesday, June 20, 2007 1:11 AM CDT
Miller to play baseball at Lincoln Land
By Mike Monahan Staff Writer
mmonahan@jg-tc.com
ARCOLA – Jamison Miller, a recent Arcola graduate, is one of 11 Lincoln Land Community College student-athletes that have signed to play baseball at the junior college in Springfield.
“I like the school and campus,” said Miller, who also visited Kaskaskia College and attended a pitching camp at Parkland, which was another school he investigated. “Everything is really nice. I really like the coaches. They are really nice and it sounds like they have a good program.”
The Loggers, a Division II junior college team, finished 29-26 last year under coach Ron Riggle, who completed his fifth year as head coach and has been at the school 17 years. During his 17 years Lincoln Land won the National championship in 1994 and 2000 and has won more than 400 games. Riggle is also the athletics director.
“It is something (playing at the college level) he has talked about since his junior year,” said Arcola coach Jarod Kiger. “Early on in the season (last season) he had it (choosing a college) on his mind. He was trying to do too much and was pressing. Once he made the decision you could see a difference in his play as his performance improved. It (Lincoln Land) seems like it is a good fit and I hope he does a good job there.”
Miller was one of two pitchers recruited with the other one being Cramer Soebbing of Lincoln. Miller was 4-5 last spring for the 14-11 Purple Riders and allowed 35 hits in 46 1/3 innings as well as 26 earned runs for an earned run average of 3.93. He had 66 strikeouts and 24 walks. Offensively, Miller was 29 of 72 (.403) with four home runs. His junior year, one that the Purple Riders finished 11-12 in, Miller led the team in pitching with a 6-3 record and a 2.85 earned run average. He allowed 27 earned runs in 66.3 innings with 109 strikeouts and 26 walks. He earned first team all-Little Okaw Valley Conference honors that year as a pitcher. In 2005, he was part of the 17-6 Purple Riders, a team that won its first 11 games and won the most games in school history. He batted .460 on that team. His freshman year Arcola, then coached by Jeff Walton, went 11-11.
“I am excited,” said Miller. “It I going to different playing with the best from all over the place. I am hoping to pitch. During the fall season (20 games) we get to tryout for other positions. I plan on trying for shortstop or outfielder.”
Lincoln Land lost 11 players from last year’s team, including four of the 10 pitchers. The four pitchers were a combined 16-12, or 51 percent of the decisions.
Miller as played in the summer for Arthur-Lovington and the last two years for Moultrie-Douglas County Post 479-429-27. He also earned honorable mention all-conference status in basketball this past season as he averaged 9.9 points per game for the 20-8 squad, which won the LOVC tournament. He also led the football team, also coached by Kiger, in receiving with 12 receptions for 293 yards and two touchdowns as the Purple Riders went 7-3 and reached the playoffs for the first time in four years.
Lincoln Land is assisted by former Major League pitcher, Eric Weaver, an Illiopolis graduate, who completed his fourth year with LLCC as well as Danny McGee, who has coached for five seasons and is a former Lincoln Land player.
“I am not going far from home and that is a good thing,” said Miller. “We play at Parkland so my parents can come and see me there also.”
Miller, a former Coles County Roller Hockey player, was Arcola’s MVP in 2006 and lettered all four-years.
“I have had Steve Joergens (Arcola assistant baseball coach) since I was in t-ball and coach Kiger (Jarod) has helped me as well,” said Miller. “My dad (DuWayne) has helped me the most. We used to go out in the front yard and play and he would hit me grounders.”
LLCC has an enrollment of 3,960 and competes in region 24.
“Having coach Joergens a lot, who has helped him with his pitching mechanics, has been a benefit to him,” said Kiger. “He is an athletic kid and has the potential to play a variety of positions. When you get to the next level the more you can do, the better off you are.”
Miller joins classmate Cory Joergens, who is to attend Illinois College and play baseball. Another classmate, Brett Poorman, is to walk-on at Parkland.
“That (going to play at the college level) says a lot about the kids,” said Kiger. “They love the game and have been apart of over 50 wins (53-40). As a coach it makes me happy to see those guys going on and that they like the game enough to move on to the next level and give it a shot.”
Contact Mike Monahan at mmonahan@jg-tc.com or 238-6854.
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