RHP’s Nowaczewski, Sherrod and Biasi Ready to Make Impact
La Crosse, Wis. – The La Crosse Loggers pitching staff improved three-fold today when team officials announced the signings of a trio of power arms in Mark Nowaczewski (Nevada), Cason Sherrod (Texas A & M) and Sal Biasi (Penn State).
Logger fans may remember the name Mark Nowaczewski as he was signed and set to join the Loggers in 2014 following his freshman season at Nevada before an injury suffered during the Mountain West Conference tournament interrupted his summer plans. The 6-4, 205 pound right-hander was drafted out of Reed High School (Reno, Nev.) in the 27th round of the 2013 MLB Draft by the Boston Red Sox, but elected to pursue his collegiate career at the University of Nevada instead. Nowaczewski saw significant action for the Wolfpack as a freshman when he struck out 24 batters in 41.2 innings while posting a 4.75 ERA. The big right-hander also pitched Nevada to an MVC tournament opening game victory in that 2014 season. Nowaczewski did red-shirt during the 2015 season due to injury but is now poised to return in a big way for Nevada and the Loggers in 2016.
Like Nowaczewski, Cason Sherrod is a 6-4, 215 pound right-hander who possesses a fastball that can reach the low-to-mid 90’s. The Texas A & M sophomore right-hander got a taste of action as freshman for the Aggies when he posted a 3.00 ERA while striking out three batters over three innings of work. Sherrod went on to have a great deal of success in the Coastal Plains Summer Collegiate League last summer when he posted a 1-2 record with one save and 3.33 ERA while striking out 22 batters in 24.1 innings pitched for the Wilson Tobs. Sherrod and the Aggies are coming off of a 2015 season that saw them win a school-best 50 games and are ranked as high as #3 in 2016 pre-season polls.
Sophomore Sal Biasi becomes the first Nittany Lion to sign with the Loggers and is primed to build on an impressive freshman campaign. The 6-0,190 pound right-hander was a go-to guy for Penn State in 2015, ranking second on the team in appearances (18) as well leading the bullpen in ERA (2.62) en route to posting three saves and striking out 31 batters in 34.1 innings pitched while limiting opposing hitters to a .229 batting average. Biasi was recognized earlier this week as a “Player to Watch” in the Big 10 when the conference’s coaches voted on their pre-season poll and came out with their pre-season list of top players.
Nowaczewski, Sherrod, Biasi and the rest of the Loggers will open their 2016 season on the road on May 31, 2016 when they travel to Kenosha to take on the defending NWL Champions. The 2016 home opener is then set for Thursday, June 2 when the Loggers welcome the St. Cloud Rox to the Lumber Yard for a 7:05 p.m. contest.
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 (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (CHC). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League YouTube channel. For more information, visit www.lacrosseloggers.com.
