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| Four Govs sign scholarships | 2008-01-14 |
| As the Wallace Govs prepare for the opening of the 2008 baseball season, they do so knowing that four of their players have already signed to continue their playing careers at four year schools. The four players are Brett Chamberlain, Ryan Reece, Andrew Hockenbury, and Harmon Watkins. | |
 Chamberlain, the Govs starting catcher, has signed to play at Troy. He becomes the second player in consecutive years to sign with the Trojans.“For me, this is a dream come true,� Chamberlain said. “I’ve always wanted to play baseball at a Division I school and Troy is one of the best.� Chamberlain has a very strong throwing arm and very seldom strikes out. During his freshman season, he was a model of consistency for the Govs. He bat .348 and basically shut down the opponent’s running game. His average throw down to second base is 1.8 seconds, but he has been timed as low as 1.68. But it was during the summer that Chamberlain’s stock really improved. He played AAU baseball for Coach Sammy Frichter. He bat .464 and hit four home runs and attracted the attention of numerous college and professional scouts. “Coach Frichter and Coach (Mackey) Sasser really helped me out a lot,� Chamberlain said. “They helped me improve my baseball skills, and helped me improve as a person. I can’t thank them enough.� Watkins will be taking his talents to Berry College near Atlanta. He continues a pipeline of players that are going from Wallace to Berry. He becomes the fourth player in the last two years to transfer there. In fact, Watkins was recruited to replace another Wallace product in center field. “They have told me they want me to basically take Ryan Starr’s spot in center field and as a lead-off hitter,� Watkins said. “I don’t know Ryan, but I do know I will have some pretty big shoes to fill. He’s set a lot of records since he’s been at Berry.� Last season at Wallace, Watkins didn’t make a single error in center field. He bat .350 with 30 RBIs, one triple, eight doubles, and 10 stolen bases. The speedy outfielder runs the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds. Reece and Hockenbury are both headed to Faulkner University in Montgomery. Reece will go as an infielder—primarily at third base—while Hockenbury will be a pitcher. “Faulkner seemed like a good place for me to be,� Reece said. “They have great facilities, a good coaching staff, and they play in a good league. And I like that I have the opportunity to start.� Last season, Reece bat .370 for the Govs. He also hit eight home runs and 12 doubles. Hockenbury was one of the Govs top relief pitchers in 2007, but he’s expected to start for Faulkner. He had an earned run average of 3.9 and struck out 25. “Coach Sasser has helped me a lot since I’ve been here at Wallace,� Hockenbury said. “I see the same thing happening at Faulkner. They will help me with my pitching and make sure I do things right. That’s something I can really appreciate.� As excited as the players are, they aren’t the only ones. Sasser is excited for them and his program. “This is good news for everybody,� Sasser said. “Our number one goal is to make sure that when players come to Wallace things don’t end here. We want to make sure they have an opportunity to play baseball at a four year school, or play professionally if they choose. Even if they don’t continue their baseball careers, we want to at least make sure they have an opportunity to continue their education elsewhere.� The Govs will open the 2008 baseball season at home on February 2 against Abraham Baldwin. Nathaniel Frazier is Sports Information Director for Wallace College Baseball. He can be reached at NFrazier@DothanEagle.com | |
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