Mankato, MN)—The Mankato MoonDogs Baseball Club, a member of the Northwoods League, is proud to announce the signing of three members of the Kansans Jayhawks. Junior pitchers Scott Sharpe, Ken Livesey and sophomore infielder Jared Schweitzer have all committed to play for the MoonDogs in 2004.
All three are transfer students new to the Kansas program now being run by head coach Rich Price, who is in his second season. Price’s son, Ritchie, an all Big 12 shortstop in 2003, played for the MoonDogs in 2003 before a back injury cut his season short.
Livesey (6’3” 215 lbs) originally from Stockton Calif., is a strong right-handed pitcher who spent the past two seasons playing at Consumnes River College in Sacramento, Calif.
This year he has made his presence known in Kansas, as he is tied for first on the team with 12 appearances. Livesey has yet to surrender an extra base hit, while opponents are hitting just .171 off him this season. Livesey has twice been draft by the Atlanta Braves (2001, 02) organization but chose to return to school both times.
Sharpe (6’4” 230 lbs), also a junior, brings another left-handed arm to the 2004 MoonDogs bullpen. Hailing from Stilwell, Kan., Sharpe spent the last two seasons at the University of Alabama Little Rock, where he averaged 63 innings each season.
For the Jayhawks, Sharpe is 2-0 on the year and is tied for first on the team with six starts and tied for second on the team in innings pitched with 34.2 thus far.
The youngest of the Jayhawks trio making their way to Mankato, is Schweitzer. Listed at 6’1”, 175 lbs, this sophomore infielder is also starting his first year at Kansas. Making the trek from Alberta Canada, where he played for Lethbridge Community College and helped the team win the Canadian College Championship last season, Schweitzer is off to a good start with the Jayhawks.
Nearly leading the team in hitting with a .340 BA this year, Schweitzer has played in 20 of the 26 games so far and is boasting a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.
"Chemistry is very important in the Northwoods League, and bringing three guys from the same school helps because they will bring some of that with them. It also helps that these guys are true athletes who can really play the game,” MoonDogs field manager Brad Rupert said.
