Tiger baseball adds three recruits for 2013
MITCHELL, S.D. – Dakota Wesleyan University baseball coach Steve Gust has added three more names to the Tigers’ 2013 roster, he announced Friday afternoon. Zach Noem, Jonah Johnson and Tyler Hackney bring Gust’s 2013 class up to 12 members.
MITCHELL, S.D. – Dakota Wesleyan University baseball coach Steve Gust has added three more names to the Tigers' 2013 roster, he announced Friday afternoon. Zach Noem, Jonah Johnson and Tyler Hackney bring Gust's 2013 class up to 12 members.
Noem comes to the Tigers from Clear Lake, S.D. He batted .461 and sent in 23 RBIs in 15 games last season. The 5-foot-7 outfielder helped his teams to three top-eight finishes in the past three seasons, including a fourth-place finish in 2010. Noem, who plans to major in business, also lettered three times in football and once in track at Deuel High School.
"We're excited to add another South Dakota student-athlete to our recruiting class," Gust said. "Zach is a good student-athlete who has a passion for the game and some good talent."
Johnson, a shortstop/outfielder from Kerkhoven, Minn., earned four varsity letters at Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg High School. He batted .603 as a junior and .631 as a sophomore. He also recorded 32 stolen bases and hit two home runs while helping his team to a 10-8 record as a junior. Johnson also saw time on the mound for the Fighting Saints, and had an ERA of 2.93 as a junior.
Johnson was named the team's MVP, pitching ace and offensive MVP. He earned all-conference, all-section, all-area and all-state honors. He also lettered four times in football and three times in basketball, and earned academic all-state honors for football in 2011.
"Jonah is a great sign for this program," Gust said. "He brings flat-out speed and base-running ability, and is just a solid athlete. I would anticipate him challenging for some spots right away."
Hackney is a 6-3 catcher from Thornton, Colo. He earned three varsity letters at Prairie View High School, and led all catchers in his division in batting average, fielding percentage and put outs. He earned all-conference honors as a junior for the Thunderhawks. Hackney, who plans to major in criminal justice, also lettered three times in football.
"Tyler is an athlete with the potential to be very good," Gust said. "He has some good catching skills, but his athleticism is what really stands out. He is a first-class student-athlete, and we have high hopes for him."
Of Dakota Wesleyan's six signees for 2013, six are from South Dakota. Two more come from Nebraska and one each are from Montana, Wisconsin, Colorado and Minnesota.
The Tigers are currently 3-7 and are back on the road this weekend for a three-game road trip in Salina, Kan. Dakota Wesleyan plays a doubleheader against Kansas Wesleyan at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 3, and a single game at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 4.