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FPC players head to division one schools |
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Thursday, November 20 2008 |
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Top: Sitting left to right are Jesus Favela, Heath Johnson, and Chris Grayson after signing there letters to continue the baseball careers at division one universities. By Rusty Berry
Sports Editor
On Tuesday, three Frank Phillips College Plainsmen baseball players, Heath Johnson, Chris Grayson, and Jesus Favela, signed letters to continue their collegiate careers at the division one level.
Outfielder Heath Johnson, a native of Alamogordo, N.M., signed to continue his baseball career as a Nittany Lion at Penn St.
Johnson is coming off a good freshman year as a Plainsman hitting .354 with 12 doubles, five triples, four home runs with 45 RBI’s.
Johnson will join a Penn St. team that has in recent years become a contender in the Big Ten conference, finishing third last season with an overall record of 27-31 behind Purdue and Michigan.
On choosing Penn St. Johnson said, “I had a chance to visit the school, and it seemed like a great fit. The baseball program is growing and continues to get better, and it is exciting to be able to be a part of that.”
After living in New Mexico and Texas his whole life, Johnson responded to the question of adjusting to yankee life by saying “there will be some adjustments I’ll have to make, and it will be a good distance from home, but overall it should be a good experience.”
Johnson said he thinks he can bring speed, a good arm in the outfield, and hopefully leadership to the club.
As far as goals for the team, Johnson said he plans to become a starter and hopefully help lead the team to a trip to the College World Series in Omaha.
Johnson plans to continue his education in business or architecture.
Grayson will have an opportunity few athletes get in returning to his home town to play college ball at the University of Louisiana-Monroe.
Grayson spent last season in left field for the Plainsmen hitting .329 with 15 doubles, 4 triples and 27 RBI’s.
Grayson will join a Warhawk team that went 34-24 including a 20-10 record to win the Sun Belt Conference regular season title.
Grayson said, “It’s a dream to be able to go home to play ball. I remember watching the team as a kid, and now to be able to be a part of it will be awesome. Plus having my family and friends there to be able to watch me play is going to be special.”
Grayson said that his speed will probably be an immediate asset to the team, but he is willing to do whatever is needed on the field.
On goals at UL-Monroe, Grayson said, “I just hope to continue to get better as a player and as a man. With the good tradition the program has, hopefully I can be a part of another Sun Belt championship team.”
Grayson plans to study business.
Catcher Jesus Favela only saw action in nine games last season for the Plainsmen but did enough, along with an outstanding high school career, to be able to continue his playing career at Grambling University.
Favela said, “It is an honor to be able to play at the division one level. I plan to take advantage of this opportunity and help out the team however I can.”
The Tigers went 21-27 and 15-9 in the SWAC before ending their season losing to Jackson St. in the conference tournament.
Favela feels what he will bring to the team is the ability to take good care of the team’s pitching staff and helping them out.
Favela’s goals while at Grambling is to continue to be a good student, graduate, and to hopefully one day become a science teacher.
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Last Updated ( Friday, November 21 2008 )
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