Bryan-College Station, TX (March 29, 2007) – The Brazos Valley Bombers announced today the signing of two members of the Wichita State Shockers. Pitcher Tyson Fugett and shortstop Kyle Sisney have both agreed to play for the Bombers this summer after concluding their spring season with the Shockers, who are currently ranked in the top 10 by Baseball America. The two freshmen bring the Bombers inaugural season roster to twelve players.
Fugett has contributed to a Shockers staff that has won 22 of 27 games with a minuscule staff ERA of 2.31. In four appearances, the lefthander has a 2.45 ERA, allowing just four hits and a pair of walks in 7.1 innings pitched. He has nine strikeouts. Fugett made an impressive showing in his first collegiate start, a 17-0 whitewashing of Arkansas-Pine Bluff on March 21. In four innings he surrendered just one hit and no walks, striking out five. After giving up a leadoff single in the second inning, Fugett retired the last nine hitters he faced.
A native of Bartlesville, Okla., Fugett was a four-year letterman at Bartlesville High School. The 2005 all-area pitcher also excelled in the outfield, where he racked up eleven home runs, three of them grand slams, and a .400-plus batting average. He was named all-conference at both pitcher and outfield.
Kyle Sisney has yet to appear in a game for Wichita State, but his potential has opened eyes among Shockers coaches. He missed the fall while recovering from knee surgery and looked to be a sure redshirt candidate entering the spring. But his performance in practice caught the attention of head coach Gene Stephenson, who told the Wichita Eagle last month that “[Sisney] really impressed us.” He remains active with the team as a reserve middle infielder and has already made a name for himself in practice.
A switch-hitter out of Broken Arrow, Okla., Sisney played shortstop for a squad that was regional champion and reached the state semi-finals three straight seasons. A team captain and school leader, Sisney was named all-conference and Tulsa all-metro as a senior. In 2005, he was one of just five high school baseball players statewide to earn the Ferguson Jenkins Outstanding Student-Athlete Award.
The Bombers are members of the nine-team Texas Collegiate League, one of the nation’s premier summer collegiate circuits. Teams like the Bombers bring minor league baseball-style entertainment to communities throughout the country, giving some of the best college players a chance to further their careers in wood bat leagues in front of Major League scouts. The Bombers begin their 48-game inaugural season on June 5 against the Coppell Copperheads. The team’s historic home opener will take place on June 8 when the Bombers welcome the Duncanville Deputies to Brazos Valley Bank Ballpark. For more information and to purchase ticket packages, visit the Bombers’ official web site at www.bvbombers.com.