La Crosse, Wis. – The La Crosse Loggers on Wednesday announced the signing of 2014 Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America Will Savage and left-handed pitcher Ryan Marks, both sophomores from Columbia University (N.Y.)., to their 2015 roster.
Savage, 6-foot, 165 pounds, batted .320 with eight doubles, one home run, 15 RBI and 14 stolen bases for the Lions in 2014, earning First Team All-Ivy League and Blair Bat, for his .414 average in conference games. He also helped Columbia advance to the NCAA Regionals. In the summer of 2014, Savage, who is from Bronx, N.Y., was named an all-star in the Hamptons Summer Collegiate League after stealing 21 bases for Shelter Island (N.Y.).
"Will brings top of the order speed with him along with a high level of competitiveness,” Loggers General Manager Chris Goodell said. “Having excelled both at Columbia this past spring and in a very competitive summer league, we will also draw on his valuable experience."
Marks, 6-foot-4, 190 pounds, had a successful freshman season for the Lions, turning in a 0.82 ERA with nine strikeouts in 11 innings. He is expected to contribute out of the bullpen again this spring and take on a key role as a left-hander for La Crosse. Marks, who is from Cos Cob (Conn.) pitched for Danbury (Conn.) of the New England Collegiate Baseball League in 2014, finishing with a 3.73 ERA in seven appearances (two starts).
"Ryan is a big southpaw with a loose arm that has tremendous upside,” Goodell said. “We're looking forward to him logging important innings for our staff next summer as we help him grow as a pitcher."
Savage, Marks and the La Crosse Loggers will open the 2015 season at 6:35 p.m. May 26 against the Green Bay Bullfrogs in Green Bay, Wis., The home opener is 7:05 p.m. May 28 against the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters at Copeland Park.
###
The La Crosse Loggers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Preparing for its 22nd season of summer collegiate baseball, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 115 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (DET) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Allen Craig (BOS) and Ben Zobrist (TB).
