LA CROSSE, WI – Brad Jesernig and Alex Najera will soon be spending a lot of time together as the La Crosse Loggers announced today the signing of the two pitchers out of Pepperdine University for the upcoming 2010 season.
Brad Jesernig (So. – Pepperdine) returns to Pepperdine University after posting a 6.94 ERA in seven relief apperances last season after being redshirted in his true freshman season. The 6-5 right handed hurler totaled 11 strikeouts and limited opposing batters to a .244 average while finishing 5 of the 7 games he appeared in.
Jesernig took some advice from this pitching coach at Pepperdine this past summer as he changed his delievery to a sidearm motion and actually added some heat to his fastball which was clocked at 92 mph. While pitching for the Saratoga Phillies of the New York Collegiate Baseball League this past summer, Jesernig, and his new sidearm motion, earned a 3.14 ERA in 15 appearances as a closer and held opposing batters to a .206 average. He was named to the all-league first team.
Along with Jesernig comes freshman left hander Alex Najera (Pepperdine) who will look to carry over his successful high school career to Pepperdine University this spring. Najera was a four-year letter winner at Canyon High School in Anaheim, California where he was named to the All-Century League team and received the school’s Comanche Award following his senior year where he posted an earned run average under 1.00 and hit .325.
Before joining the Loggers, the two hurlers will be trying to help the Waves of Pepperdine improve on their third place West Coast Conference finish of last year when the team finished 12-9 in conference play and 31-23 overall marking the teams 32nd straight 30-plus win season.
The 2010 Northwoods League schedule was released earlier this month which has the Loggers starting out the season with a home and home series against the Eau Claire Express with the first game being held at Copeland Park in La Crosse on Wednesday, June 2, 2010. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.
