FIVE RAMS JOIN PROFESSIONAL RANKS
July 12, 2007

FORT WORTH, TX:  Five members of Texas Wesleyan University’s Red River Athletic Conference Champion baseball team have taken their talents to the professional ranks this summer.  Ryan Riddle is currently pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals’ Single A Batavia Muckdogs while Jason Diaz, Billie Hicks, Ross Elmore, and Victor Burgos are playing in independent leagues.

“I think this really shows the type of team that we had this year,” said Head Coach Mike Jeffcoat.  “To have this many guys sign professional contracts reflects well on our team.  I look forward to them having successes and moving up the ladder and maybe one day seeing them in the major leagues.”

In one season with the Rams, Riddle went 9-0 in 2007.  The junior out of Bedford, TX, posted a 1.88 ERA and two shutouts while striking out 79 hitters in 71.2 innings of work.  He was named 1st-team All-RRAC and 1st-team All-Region VI.  The Rams were 11-1 in games in which he started.  The 6’2” lefty’s best performances came in the postseason when he tossed eight innings of shutout baseball in a 1-0 win over Houston Baptist in the conference tournament and then threw a complete game one-hitter in a 7-0 win over Southern Nazarene in the Region VI semifinals.  He allowed just 12 extra-base hits, all doubles, on the year.

Riddle, who signed with the Cardinals as a free agent, has been assigned to the Batavia Muckdogs of the New York-Penn League.  He said that leaving college early was a tough decision. “I loved the team and the coaches at Wesleyan,” Riddle commented, “but this is also a great organization.  It is a lot more work than college, but this is definitely what I want to do.”

In six relief appearances with the Muckdogs, Riddle holds an 0-1 record..  He has notched 10 strikeouts in his first 8.2 innings of work.

Jason Diaz signed a contract with the San Angelo Colts of the United Baseball League on Thursday.  Diaz, who walked on at Texas Wesleyan in 2004 is the school’s career record holder with 208 runs scored and ranks second with 206 games played.  A career .374 hitter, the Diamond Hill Jarvis High School product hit .390 with a .463 on base percentage in 2007.  He ranked third nationally with 39 bases in 49 games played and 16th with 59 runs scored.  This season he hit .574 with runners in scoring position and struck out just four times in 172 at bats.  A two-time All-Conference selection, Diaz was named 1st-team All-Region VI this season.

Diaz, who wants to teach math and coach baseball at Diamond Hill after his baseball career was thrilled about the opportunity.  “I don’t think it has hit me yet,” Diaz said.  “I can’t wait to get down there, and I’m glad this is finally happening.”

The 2007 Rams middle infield will remain intact in the Continental Baseball League.  Shortstop Billie Hicks and second baseman Ross Elmore have both signed with the Texas Heat.  Elmore and Hicks both received 2nd-team All-RRAC honors for their performance in their senior campaign.

Hicks, an Arlington, TX, product, has started in 17 of the first 18 games for the Heat.  He currently ranks fourth on the team with 13 RBI.  Last season he led the Rams with six home runs while hitting .337.  In three seasons at Texas Wesleyan, Hicks hit .321 with 17 home runs, 98 RBI, and 100 runs scored.

Hicks referred to hitting with a wooden bat as “obviously a challenge,” but also said he was enjoying the start of his professional career.  “It is a ton of fun,” he said, “they guys on the team are great, and its great to wake up and know that all you have to do that day is go out to the ballpark.”

Hicks went on to comment on the difficulties of his new career.  “In college you are pretty much guaranteed a spot on the team until you graduate.  Here you have to look over your shoulder because you could be traded or released at any time.  There is a lot more work in that respect than there was in college.”

Elmore has played in 15 games and made 13 starts for the Heat.  He holds an on base percentage of .364.  In two seasons at Texas Wesleyan the Athens, TX, native hit .327 with three home runs, 33 RBI, and 56 runs scored.

Victor Burgos has also gotten the opportunity to play professionally.  The junior from Bayamon, Puerto Rico, held an on base percentage of .328 while playing in 33 games and making 13 starts in the outfield in his lone season at Texas Wesleyan.  Burgos signed with the Schaumburg Flyers of the Northern League.  He doubled in his third professional at bat and homered in a 5-4 win over the Kansas City T-Bones.