Bismarck, ND – The Bismarck Larks announced today the team is returning four players from their inaugural season. Right handed pitcher Micah Beyer, outfielder Wyatt Ulrich, outfielder Connor Perry, and right handed pitcher Frank Greco have signed to become part of the Larks 2018 roster.
Micah Beyer, a senior right handed pitcher for the Biola University Eagles, had a knockout appearance with the Larks during their inaugural season. Beyer went 3-0 with a 0.75 earned run average in 36 innings pitched. He only allowed 20 hits, 12 walks and struck out 37 hitters last summer for the Larks. He returns to the Larks as one of the senior-eligible players. Although Beyer had to leave early last season due to an internship, he was honored as the Northwoods League Pitcher of the Night in all four of his starts.
“I couldn’t be happier to have Micah return to the Larks in 2018,” says Coach Sean Repay. “I expect Micah’s run with us to be short because I believe he will get picked up into professional baseball at some point in the summer. He is a pro both on and off the field and a fantastic teammate. I firmly believe if Micah would have stayed all season last summer, he would have been NWL Pitcher of the Year. We are looking forward to having Micah back both on the field and in the clubhouse.”
Wyatt Ulrich, a sophomore outfielder for the Saint John’s Johnnies, hit .246 in 195 at bats for the Larks in 2017. He was an on-base machine drawing 33 walks and striking out only 32 times. He was also one of the team leaders in runs batted in with 17. Ulrich was known for his outstanding defense, as he made many web-gem like plays throughout the course of the season. Ulrich even appeared on Canada’s version of SportsCenter Top 10 plays for catching a ball while flipping over the wall. He led the country last year in all of NCAA Division 3 baseball in hitting, posting a .500 batting average on the season.
“I’d like to thank my coach, Sean Repay, and the front office for allowing me to come back,” says Ulrich. “I can’t wait to be back with my host family. It’s going to be fun, and hopefully we’ll make a playoff push for all of you guys!”
Coach Repay says, “Wyatt is what the Larks are all about. He is the kind of guy we want both on and off the field to be an example of a Lark. Through success or failure, Wyatt carries himself with such a calm and confident presence. He was a big part of all the walk off victories last year and played some of the best OF defense in the league as well. He brought so much energy to the team in 2017 that it was a no-brainer to have him return in 2018.”
Connor Perry, a junior outfielder for the University of Pittsburgh Pitts, hit .221 in 122 at bats for the Larks in their inaugural season. He drew 25 walks and hit 4 home runs with 19 stolen bases. Perry also stole a team high 12 bases. He was primarily the team’s lead off hitter during his span with the Larks. Perry is currently projected to be University of Pittsburgh’s starting right fielder and lead off hitter.
Perry says he’s excited to get back for the summer and get a championship. “I can’t wait to sell out the ballpark and get the fans going again,” says Perry.
Coach Repay says he and Perry have been in touch since the end of last summer. Repay says Perry has been very outspoken about his desire to return to the Larks in 2018 and to help the team get to a championship. “Connor is a great kid who works his tail off,” says Repay. “He made a big impact on the organization last summer, and I know he is poised to do the same on a bigger scale in 2018. Watch out for this guy in the ACC this spring. He is going to make a big splash!”
Frank Greco, a junior right handed pitcher for the Benedictine University Eagles, went 2-5 in 43.2 innings pitched for the Larks in 2017. He logged the most starts for the Larks with 10. Greco has many accolades to his name on the NCAA Division 3 level. In his first 2 seasons, he earned 2016 and 2017 First Team All-NACC honors, 2016 Freshman of the Year, 2017 NACC Pitcher of the Year, and 2017 Rawlings/ABCA First Team All-Region.
“I can’t wait to get back in front of the Bismarck crowd and perform for you guys,” says Greco. “This past summer was the absolute best summer I’ve had playing baseball and a big part of that was pitching in front of the home crowd.” Greco says the atmosphere the Larks fans bring to the ballpark is second to none, and he couldn’t be more excited to come back.
“Frank is a true original Lark,” says Coach Repay. “He has created so much of our clubhouse and dugout atmosphere. He is also a ridiculous competitor on the field. Frank has the drive to go out there and compete at a high level for you everyday. He struggled a bit at times last season, but I expect and know he will bounce back in a strong way this summer. I coach against Frank’s team in our conference in the spring and know what he is capable of.” Coach says he looks forward to watching Greco blossom more throughout the 2018 season, on the field and with his crazy dugout antics.
To guarantee you are a part of the 2018 atmosphere found at Bismarck Municipal Ballpark Home of Dakota Community Bank and Trust Field, get your Scheels 7 Game Packs at 7packs.larksbaseball.com or call the office at 701-557-7600.
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The Bismarck Larks are a proud affiliate of the Northwoods League, the proven leader in development of elite college baseball players. The Larks mission is to use FUN to make a difference in the lives of our families, businesses, players, and communities we serve. This is accomplished with a commitment to putting fans first and providing high quality family entertainment at affordable prices. In 2017, the Larks sold out 27 of their 36 home games in Bismarck Municipal Ballpark, home of Dakota Community Bank and Trust Field, and were named the Northwoods League’s Organization of the Year.
Entering its 25th anniversary season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 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 185 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (TOR). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.northwoodsleague.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play.