NORTHWOODS LEAGUE ANNOUNCES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: February 24, 2009

Eau Claire Announces First Three Signees

(EAU CLAIRE, WI) Eau Claire Express field manager Dale Varsho announced the first three commitments for his 2009 roster. They include returning shortstop/pitcher Ryan O’Sullivan and new catchers Rafael Neda and Aaron Fujiki.

O’Sullivan [left] is a 6-foot-1-inch, 185-pound freshman at San Diego State University. He finished the 2008 season with the Express tied for the team lead with five home runs while also driving in 24 runs. O’Sullivan also saw some time on the mound, finishing with no record and a 3.68 earned run average in 7.1 innings pitched. The San Francisco Giants drafted O’Sullivan as a pitcher in the 10th round of the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft.

Neda is a 6-foot, 205-pound sophomore at University of New Mexico. The standout freshman finished 2008 with a .323 batting average, 17 doubles, six home runs and 45 runs batted in. Neda’s outstanding season for the Lobos earned him multiple postseason honors including 2008 Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year. He was also named to the All-MWC Second Team and four Freshman All-American teams.

Fujiki is a 5-foot-9-inch, 195-pound freshman at Yavapai Community College. The Honolulu, Hawaii native was named state Co-Position Player of the Year by The Star-Bulletin after throwing out 92 percent of would-be base stealers and batting .362 during his senior season at Mid-Pacific Institute.