The Augustana Baseball team added three new players to its 2009 recruiting class, head coach Tim Huber announced today. Nate Hewes from Stillwater, Minn., Josh Mensch of Wayzata, Minn., and Paddy Carroll of Hopkins, Minn. have signed letters of intent to attend Augustana and play baseball for the Vikings.
"With things winding down in the summer we were fortunate to add 3 quality guys. Paddy, Nate, and Josh are each great fits for Augustana and are great additions," Huber said. "Each of them are good students, solid players, and were leaders on there teams. We expect good things from them during their time at Augustana."
Hewes, a 5-foot-10 infielder at Stillwater Area High School, is a three-year starter and letterwinner. He earned All-Suburban East Conference honors in his senior season as well as All-Minnesota Honorable Mention. He boasted a .367 batting average and recorded 2 home runs and 18 RBI's. He helped lead the Ponies to a 21-8 record and a Minnesota State Runner-up finish. As a junior he also earned All-SEC honors and was named Defensive Player of the Year. Hewes is also a two-year letterwinner in hockey.
Mensch is a 6-3 pitcher and two-year letterwinner at Minnetonka High School. As a senior, he earned All-Classic Lake Conference Honorable Mention and team Most Improved Player honors. He recorded a 2.63 ERA. Mensch also had a .323 batting average and drove in 21 runs.
Carroll started two years and earned two letters from Edina High School. As a senior he led the Hornets in all statistical pitching categories and recorded a 3-2 record. Carroll also earned two saves and boasted a 2.27 ERA. He was also in the starting rotation as a junior. Prior to his junior season, Carroll played on the Hornet football team.
Hewes, Mensch and Carroll bring the Viking recruiting class to 18 members. They join a class that includes Brian Duxbury of Salem, S.D., Zach Cimburek of Rapid City, S.D., Eric Docken of Beresford, S.D., Brendan Koistinen of Watertown, S.D., Ben Van Kekerix of Sheldon, Iowa, Matt Juber of Sibley, Iowa, Nate Alfson of Pipestone, Minn., Bennett Johnson of Minneapolis, Minn., Sam Bauer of Pipestone, Minn., Joran Clute of Hawley, Minn., Samuel Gotham of Eden Prairie, Derek Hansen of Fergus Falls, Minn., Benjamin Ludwigson of Maplewood, Minn., Grant Larson of Eagan, Minn., and Deryk Marks of Cottage Grove, Minn.
