Battle Creek, MI – Opening Day for the Bombers creeps ever closer, and when Battle Creek takes the field for the first time on May 28 vs. Lakeshore, they will be led by a stout middle infield that features two NCAA Division I players. These versatile athletes will be joined in the middle infield by Matt McDermott, who will also be the Bombers’ fourth outfielder and was previewed in our earlier release. The full-time middle infielders for Battle Creek in 2019 are Ty Meissner, Kelby Weyler, and Gavin Stone.
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IF Ty Meissner, 5’9”, (R/R) Sophomore, Tyler Junior College (NJCAA-Division III)
Meissner certainly has had plenty of experience winning this season. His Tyler Junior College Apaches carry a 32-9 overall record, including a dominant 25-6 mark at home this season. Meissner, one of six Apaches on the Bombers roster this season, holds a .300 batting average in 36 games played, and has 23 RBI and 26 runs scored. The Hallsville, Texas native also hit a home run in a March 13 win vs. Brookhaven. Bombers fans are going to want to make sure they come out to C.O. Brown Stadium to watch Meissner, as he has loved hitting at home in 2019. 18 of his 23 RBI this season have come at home for Tyler Junior College.
SS Kelby Weyler, 5’11”, (R/R) Sophomore, Lamar University (NCAA-Division I)
Weyler, a Village Mills, Texas native, started his college career at Rice University before transferring to Lamar. He put together an impressive high school career at Warren High School, including being named to the Perfect Game All-Region 2nd Team for the state of Texas. This season will not be Weyler’s first stint in a summer league, as he played last season for the Lake Erie Monarchs of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League. In 23 games for Lake Erie, Weyler hit .203 while driving in 10 runs and scoring 11 himself. He also swip
ed two bags for the Monarchs, who finished the 2018 GLSCL campaign with a 17-23 record. Weyler’s new college team, Lamar, plays in the Southland conference along with Sam Houston State, which upset then-#5 Texas Tech and #16 Arizona to win the Lubbock Regional in the 2017 NCAA tournament.
SS/RHP Gavin Stone, 5’10” (R/R) Sophomore, Central Arkansas University (NCAA-Division I)
Stone, a Jonesboro, Arkansas native, decided to stay clo
se to home for college and attend Central Arkansas, where he is a teammate of fellow Battle Creek Bomber Kolby Johnson. At CAU, Stone is mainly used as a pitcher, though he will be listed as both a pitcher and shortstop for the upcoming Northwoods League season. In 2019, Stone holds a 1.90 ERA in 23.2 innings pitched for the Bears, along with an efficient 38-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Stone put together an impressive high school career at Riverside High School in Lake City, Arkansas. There, he was a two-time All-State selection, as well as being named to the All-Conference squad all four years he was in high school. He was named to the Arkansas High School All-Star Game and put together a strong performance that earned him the Most Valuable Player award for that game.
