Some baseball notes
June 29, 2009
Troy head coach Bobby Pierce is still waiting on word if pitchers Jason Walls and Chris Sorce will sign with the pro teams that drafted them or come back to Troy for their senior years. Pierce said that Walls, a weekend starter who was drafted in the 19th round by the Giants, wanted a better offer and if the Giants didn’t up their offer, he would come back to Troy. Sorce, the team’s closer who was picked in the 26th round by the Mariners, is also a wait-and-see deal. The Mariners will watch him pitch this summer in the Valley League, determine how much money they have left and if Sorce’s worth the money he’s asking for, and make an offer.
Sorce is 2-0 with an 0.77 ERA and two saves this summer for the Harrisonburg (Va.) Turks.
Troy will always contend for a league title and regional berth with this coaching staff here, but having Sorce and Walls back would make that possibility in 2010 much more realistic.
Pierce said that his son, Logan, would join the team next year after hitting .416 as a freshman at Shelton State Community College. He didn’t get everyday at-bats, but the kid has hit all his life and should be able to fit in with the Troy program well. He’ll play 1B, 3B or DH. Logan Pierce was an all-state pick as a senior at Charles Henderson in 2008.
“He’ll get to make out the lineup card,“ Bobby Pierce joked. “I think our players know our program is about treating people the right way. If anybody has to work harder, it would be my son.“
Bobby Pierce last coached Logan in rec ball growing up.
Many Trojans are in town, taking summer classes to ensure eligibility for the year. NCAA changed the rules saying you have to be eligible by the fall to be able to play in the spring. Sorce is in the Valley League, outfielder Steven Rosado is playing in a league in Vermont, and several more players are playing in the Montgomery Metro Baseball League. In the MMBL, which Pierce is impressed with, players take classes and work out during the week and play games on the weekend.
Sun Belt Freshman of the Year Tyler Ray isn’t pitching this summer, but “is working out in Hoover with a bunch of elite athletes” to work on strength.
