Friday, September 5, 2008 11:07 PM CDT
EIU's Morrell, Nommensen recognized by Baseball America
By JG/T-C Staff
sports@jg-tc.com
DURHAM, N.C. -- After enjoying great summers in their respective wood bat leagues, Eastern Illinois baseball’s Brian Morrell and Brett Nommensen have been highlighted among the Top 10 prospects in those leagues by Baseball America.
Morrell went 5-1 with 2.50 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 57 2/3 innings pitched for his hometown Quincy Gems of the Central Illinois Collegiate League. The senior right-hander, who ranked second with a .210 batting average against, was tabbed the No. 8 prospect in the five-team league.
Nommensen led the Coastal Plain League with a .377 batting average for the Edenton, N.C. Steamers. He also collected 15 extra-base hits, 22 RBIs, 42 runs scored and 17 stolen bases. The senior center fielder, selected as the No. 6 prospect in the league, helped lead the Steamers to a first-half title in the four-team North Division of the CPL.
Morrell and Nommensen were both named all-stars in their respective summer leagues as well.
Baseball America ranked the top 30 prospects for the talent-rich Cape Cod League, and the top 10 prospects in 18 other summer college leagues.
“Brian and Brett had outstanding junior seasons and they just continued to improve in the summer, EIU coach Jim Schmitz said. “We are very proud of this mention in Baseball America. [Assistant coach] Sean Lyons has done a great job of placing our players – 17 this year – in collegiate summer leagues around the country. The commitment of our players to improving their game by playing in the summer is a main reason for our success.”
As juniors at Eastern, Morrell and Nommensen keyed the Panthers’ memorable Ohio Valley Conference Tournament title run and berth in the NCAA Tournament Lincoln Regional.
Morrell emerged as an important of part of the EIU bullpen and finished the collegiate season with a 5-2 record and 44 strikeouts in 24 appearances. He earned a win and a save in the OVC Tournament and was named ESPN the Magazine Second Team Academic All-America.
Nommensen was a First Team All-OVC selection and also represented the Panthers on the OVC All-Tournament Team and NCAA All-Regional squad. He was a remarkable 13-for-25 (.520) with seven RBIs and 10 runs scored in EIU’s six postseason games. He finished the collegiate season with a .402 batting average.
In related alumni news, Cam Seitzer, son of EIU Hall of Famer and former MLB All-Star Kevin Seitzer, was ranked as the No. 5 prospect in the MINK League. He began his freshman year at the University of Oklahoma this fall.
Only three other current OVC players made the rankings: Ben Tootle (No. 4, Cape Cod) and Todd Cunningham (No. 5, Texas Collegiate) from Jacksonville State, and A.J. Kirby-Jones (No. 8, Clark Griffith) from Tennessee Tech.
Central Illinois Top 10
1. Tyler Hess, rhp, Danville (So., Pepperdine) 2. Austin Ross, rhp, Danville (So., Louisiana State) 3. Matt Bywater, lhp, Danville (So., Pepperdine) 4. Elliot Soto, ss, Springfield (So., Creighton) 5. Bryce Shafer, rhp, Springfield (So., Valparaiso) 6. Dan Kaczrowski, 2b, Danville (Sr., Hamline, Minn.) 7. Ryan Duffy, c/1b, Dupage (Jr., Mississippi State) 8. Brian Morrell, rhp, Quincy (Sr., Eastern Illinois) 9. Greg Houston, rhp, Danville (Jr., Mississippi State) 10. Jon Myers, ss, Quincy (Jr., Saint Louis)
Coastal Plain Top 10
1. Deck McGuire, rhp, Peninsula (So., Georgia Tech) 2. Kevin Mahoney, 3b, Forest City (Sr., Canisius) 3. Steve Grife, rhp, Florence (Jr., Mercyhurst, Pa.) 4. C.J. Beatty, of, Thomasville (Jr., North Carolina A&T) 5. Parker Bangs, rhp, Fayetteville (R-So., South Carolina) 6. Brett Nommensen, of, Edenton (Sr., Eastern Illinois) 7. Chris McGuiness, 1b, Thomasville (Jr., The Citadel) 8. Justin Sarratt, rhp, Thomasville (Jr., Clemson) 9. Luke Demko, rhp, Edenton (Sr., Rhode Island) 10. Sonny Meade, of, Thomasville (Sr., The Citadel)
Other OVC Players Ranked
Cape Cod League
4. Ben Tootle, rhp, Falmouth (Jr., Jacksonville State)
Texas Collegiate League
5. Todd Cunningham, of, Brazos Valley (So., Jacksonville State)
Clark Griffith
8. A.J. Kirby-Jones, rhp/1b, Fairfax (So., Tennessee Tech)
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