NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State first-year head baseball coach Lane Burroughs has announced the addition of 13 student-athletes for the 2014 incoming class. 

“We quickly identified our short and long term needs and did not waiver,” said Burroughs.  “We met those needs with this class and we are ecstatic with what each one of these guys brings to the table.”

Of the seven high school players and six junior college transfers, six come from Louisiana.  Infielder Matthew Alford (Hornbeck /Hornbeck HS), left-handed pitcher Fielding Matkins (Shreveport/Captain Shreve HS), right-handed pitcher/infielder Josh Morris (Baton Rouge/Runnels HS), right-handed pitcher Evan Tidwell (Zachary/ Zachary HS), right-handed pitcher Nathan Aultman (Mangham/Hinds CC), left-handed pitcher/first baseman Hunter Duvic (St. Francisville/ Hinds CC), and right-handed pitcher John Gault (Shreveport/ Hinds CC) will join the Demons next year. 

Out-of-state signees include left-handed pitcher Devin Bear (Houston, Tex./St. Thomas HS), right-handed pitcher/catcher Adam Oller (Conroe, Tex./ Concordia Lutheran HS), right-handed pitcher Brandon Stane (Beebe, Ark./ Beebe HS), infielder Joel Atkinson (San Clemente, Calif. / Midland College), right-handed pitcher/infielder Caleb Dugas (Raymond, Miss./Copiah-Lincoln CC), and catcher C.J. Webster (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif./Cypress College).

“From skill-set to make-up, these young men will make an immediate impact on the field and in the community,” said Burroughs.  “We feel these young men will put their stamp on Northwestern State and make Demons everywhere very proud for years to come.”

Alford led his team to the Class-B state championship last season winning district, all-parish, state tournament, and Louisiana Class B most valuable player along the way. 

“Matt has good makeup and character,” said recruiting coordinator Andy Morgan. “He played for one of the top high school summer teams in the area in Marucci ArkLaTex.  

“He has an athletic body that plays fast with his feet and hands,” said Morgan. His body and athleticism project him to be a strong, powerful player.”

Matkins was named to the 2012 Oakley All-American team helping Captain Shreve to a 24-12 record last season. 

“An easy left-handed arm action is what we like about Matkins,” said NSU pitching coach Chris Curry. “He has a long, lean, body to go along with his smooth arm stroke which is exciting about his future.  He knows how to change speeds and use both sides of the plate which is rare for a high school pitcher.”

Morris holds a 113 consecutive varsity games played streak heading into his senior season.  He has been a starter at Runnels since the eighth grade and hit .480 with six homeruns and 30 runs batted in last year, his junior season. 

“Josh is a two-way player that has the ability to contribute right away,” said Morgan.  “On the mound he has a quick arm and good delivery with a fastball that reaches 88-90 miles per hour.” 

“He has good movement that does not allow hitters to make solid contact off of him,” he said. “Offensively Josh projects to be a physical threat. He is athletic and has a good feel for what he is doing at the plate.”
Tidwell was 6-1 a year ago with a 2.34 earned run average at Zachary High School. He led his team to a 30-9 record and a No. 2 state ranking. 

“Evan is a proven winner at a successful program under Jessie Cassard,” said Curry.  “Over his career, he is 12-1 which shows that he knows how to pitch and win big games.  The great thing about Evan is his upside is off the charts as his body continues to catch up with his pitching ability.”

Aultman comes to NSU from Hinds Community College after posting an 8-2 record a season ago. 

“Character, class, and work ethic are words you hear when people talk about Nathan, said Curry. “He is an intense pitcher that handles himself the right way off the field.  Nathan was one of the main reasons that Hinds won a conference championship last year.”

Duvic and Gault also will become Demons after spending time at Hinds. Duvic was a part of the squad at Hinds that won the state championship and was regional runner-up as both a pitcher and first baseman. 

“He is a top shelf dual player that should contribute immediately,” said Curry. “His command and pitch ability are what make him effective as a left-handed pitcher and he has a powerful left-handed swing.

“He is also a plus-defender at first base, and we really like his toughness and grit.”  

Gault was named to the Under Armor and Rawlings All-America teams in his time at Hinds. 

“John is a big, strong pitcher originally from Shreveport,” said Curry.  “He has arm strength and is expected to add immediate depth to the top of our pitching staff.”

Bear is the brother of former All-Southland Conference Demon baseball player Colin Bear. 

“Devin is a consistent left-handed pitcher with a very high ceiling,” said Morgan. “He comes from a good baseball family, and is a high character kid.

“Bear has played at a high level at a young age, and has the ability to compete in the zone with three pitches including a fastball in the mid to upper 80s,” he said. 

Oller finished his junior season with a record of 5-1 with a1.51 ERA to take all-district and all-state honors.

“Adam is a another two-way player that possesses a lot of arm strength,” said Morgan.  “He is a guy that profiles to be a power arm with fastball consistently sitting at 90 mph, and a good feel for his breaking pitch.”

“Behind the plate, Adam is a big physical target that can receive and block and has ability to shut down running game,” he said. “He is a high character kid with great work ethic.”

Stane is a two-time defending conference champion with a state championship for Beebe High School (Ark.) his freshman season. Last season, his junior year, he pitched 58 innings and recorded a 0.84 ERA with eight complete games and three no-hitters.  

“Brandon has the makeup and toughness you want when you hand a pitcher the ball.  He has had an extremely successful career which has even him seen him compete to be on the USA Junior National Team,” said Curry.  “With a quick arm and sharp slider, he will be a strike thrower that will not be intimidated when he gets to campus.”

Atkinson comes to NSU from Midland College where he played in the junior college all-star game in September. He redshirted at Oklahoma State before he transferred to Midland. 

“Joel is a very athletic shortstop that plays the game with a lot of energy and a plus defender that should hit at the top of the order,” said Morgan.  “He is a competitor that brings toughness and baseball awareness to our team. He plays the game the right way, and will be exciting to watch, and we expect him to make an immediate impact on our team.”

Dugas comes from Copiah-Lincoln Community College where was named Who's Who Among National Junior Colleges.

“Caleb is one of the four dual-players in this class.  He is an athletic third baseman with soft hands and a strong arm,” said Curry. “At the plate, he has a short stroke with gap power.  On the mound, Caleb features a high 80s fastball with a plus-slider.”

Webster was redshirted at California State Fullerton before transferring to Cypress College where he played in 18 games for a .360 batting average and 14 runs batted in. 

“The first thing you talk about C.J. is his leadership and communication skills on the field,” said Curry.  “His skill set is his excellent receiving, throwing, and blocking as well as being a tough out at the plate.  We expect him to contribute immediately.”

“I couldn't be more proud of how hard our staff grinded and worked their tails off to put together this class,” said Burroughs. “My hat goes off to Coach Morgan, Coach Curry, Coach (Sammy) Hassen, Coach (GT) McCullough, Coach (Evan) Coachman, academic coordinators and our players.  It's a team effort and everyone played a role.”

The Demons open the 2013 season with Grambling at home Feb. 15 at Brown-Stroud field. 


Class Breakdown:
High School: 7; Junior College 6
By State:
Louisiana: 7; California: 2; Texas: 2;  Mississippi: 1;  Arkansas 1
By Position:
Pitcher: 7; Catcher: 1; Infield 2; Two-way: 3


HIGH SCHOOL
 
Matthew Alford 
INF • 6-1 • 190 • Hornbeck, LA (Hornbeck HS)
 
High School
• four-year letterman in basketball and baseball, three years in cross country, and two years in golf
• led team to the Class-B state championship winning district MVP, all-parish MVP, state tournament MVP, 2012 LA Class-B MVP and hit .420.
• named all-district three years and all-state two seasons
• in basketball, three-time all-district pick along with all-state sophomore and junior season
• hit 55 percent of his shots junior season scoring 749 points
• member of National Jr. Honor Society and the National Honor Society, also a member of the 4-H club, Spanish Club, and Fellowship of Christian Students
• won the excellence award every year of high school and placed at District and State Literary Rally
• coached by Dustin Smith in baseball, Charlie Alexander in basketball, Stacy Hughes in cross country, and Tim Parker in golf
Personal
• born Feb. 24, 1995
• son of Angie and John Alford
• one brother, Justin
• majoring in biology and wants to be a radiology technician
 

Devin Bear
LHP • 6-3 • 205 • Houston, TX (St. Thomas HS) 

High School
• three-year letterman  in baseball
• member of the Reading Aces and Eagle Ambassador (Senior Leader)
• coached by Major League Baseball Hall of Fame hopeful Craig Biggio
Personal
• born June 29, 1994
• son of Shawn and Todd Bear
• three brothers, Colin, Austin, and Logan
• Colin is a former All-Louisiana baseball player at NSU who won Triple Crown in 2011
• majoring in industrial engineering technology


Fielding Matkins
LHP • 6-1 • 180 • Shreveport, LA (Captain Shreve HS)
 
High School
• two-time Perfect Game Underclass All-American Honorable Mention
• voted to the 2012 WWBA 17u All-Tournament Team
• 2012 Oakley All-American
• 10-5 record through junior season
• helped Captain Shreve to a 24-12 and a second round LHSAA playoff appearance junior season
• second round berth sophomore season with 20-15 record
• lettered in baseball four years, football two years, soccer one year, and swimming one year.
• member of the Student Council, Boys Class, Key Club (Vice President and President), Fellowship of Christian Athletes (Chaplin and Vice President)
Personal
• born Aug. 8, 1995
• son of Kelley  and Jonathan Matkins
• two sisters, Katie and Maggie
 
 
 
Josh Morris
RHP/INF • 6-4 • 202 • Baton Rouge, LA (Runnels HS)
 
High School
• through junior year has started 113 consecutive varsity games, been a starter since the 8^th grade
• voted first-team all-district three time and first-team all-metro twice
• All-Louisiana Honorable Mention
• hit .480 junior season with six homeruns and 30 runs batted in
• hit .381 sophomore season with one homerun
• freshman batting average .351 with two homers and 16 runs batted in
• combined 12-7 on the mound through junior season
• made it to playoffs each season played
• lettered in baseball five years and basketball one season
• volunteered with Istrouma Sports Organization
• traveled on mission trips to Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic
Personal
• born Feb. 6, 1995
• son of Cindy and Tex Morris, mom played basketball at Auburn University and dad was a baseball player for the Tigers.
• two sisters Claire and  Noelle
• majoring in industrial technology and hopes to become a design engineer.
• played football for Tooke Johnson and basketball for Robbie White


Adam Oller
RHP/Catcher • 6-4 • 205 • Conroe, TX (Concordia Lutheran HS)
 
High School
• voted first-team all-district and second team all-state junior season with a 1.51 ERA with a 5-1 record on the mound
• hit .353 with a .423 on-base percentage
• named second –team all-district  both sophomore and freshman campaigns
• team advanced to the playoffs sophomore and junior year
• lettered in baseball four years and football three seasons
• member of the Key Club and Student Council
• played for a Junior Olympic club
• coached by Rick Lynch in baseball and Bobby Lindquist in football
Personal
• born Oct. 17, 1994
• son of Sharon and Mike Oller
• two brothers, Josh and Luke
• one sister Abbey
• his uncle, Greg Koch, played guard in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers
• majoring in environmental science and business
• wants to become an environmental lawyer after NSU


Brandon Stane
RHP • 5-11 • 165 • Beebe, AR (Beebe HS)
 
High School
• played pitcher, shortstop, second base, and third base
• two-time 5A East Conference champion including state champions freshman season
• pitched 58 innings for a 0.84 ERA with eight complete games and three no-hitters in junior season
• earned all-state and all-conference
• pitched for Team Louisiana in New Balance All-American Battle of the Borders in Arlington, Tex.
• finalist for 17u Team USA-pitched and played outfield
• lettered in baseball four years, golf for two, and basketball one
• coached by Mark Crafton
Personal
• born Feb. 13, 1995
• son of Rhonda and Brent Stane
• one brother, Colby
• majoring in pre-pharmacy


Evan Tidwell
RHP • 6-4 • 165 • Zachary, LA (Zachary HS)
 
High School
• voted second-team all-district with a 6-1 record and a 2.34 ERA
• as a sophomore finished with a 6-1 record and 1.38 ERA
• led his team to a 30-9 record and a #2 ranking junior season
• finished the season 27-12 as a team sophomore season and state semifinalist
• three-year letterman in baseball
• member of the T.I.M.E club, volunteer baseball coach and a freshman mentor
• coached by Jesse Cassard
Personal
• born May 10, 1995
• son of Janie and Buddy Tidwell
• mom played volleyball at LSU
• one brother, Jacob
• hopes to become successful career in a field of his choice




JUNIOR COLLEGE


Joel Atkinson 
INF • 5-8 • 165 • San Clemente, CA (Midland College • San Clemente HS)
 
Before NSU
• played in the JUCO All-Star game in Sept. 2012
• named Academic All-American
High School
• voted team MVP freshman and junior seasons
• all-conference junior year and all-state senior year
• .319 batting average with four homeruns, 15 stolen bases his senior season
• .400 batting average, two homeruns, 20 stolen bases, and a school record 24 doubles junior season
• career-high .505 batting average freshman season
• team reached the state quarterfinals freshman and senior years
• lettered three years in baseball
Personal
• born Oct. 29, 1991
• son of Jodi and David Atkinson
• three brothers, Chris, Tim, and Dan


Nathan Aultman
RHP • 6-1 • 190 • Mangham, LA (Hinds Community College • Mangham HS)
 
Before NSU
• posted an 8-2 record with a 3.77 ERA
• named all-state and all-conference
• Region 23 runner-up
High School
• played three seasons at Christian Homeschool before transferring to Mangham
• named first-team all-district and district MVP senior season, and played in the 2011 Big League World Series for Louisiana District 5
• posted a 9-5 record with 180 strikeouts
• team district champs with a 20-13 record
• state MVP and first-team all-state  with the LCSAA (Louisiana Christian School Athletic Association) junior year
• posted a 7-1 record with 99 strikeouts junior season
• as a sophomore, won baseball team MVP and basketball most improved
• lettered three years in baseball and two years in basketball
• 4-H Vice President
Personal
• born July 13, 1992
• son of Jean and Rick Aultman
• one sister, Rebekah and one brother, Daniel
• Rebekah is an all-state performer in volleyball and Daniel is an all-district winner in baseball
• majoring in health and human performance
• wants to by a physical therapist


Caleb Dugas
RHP/INF • 5-11 • 195 • Raymond, MS (Copiah-Lincoln Community College • Northwest Rankin HS)
 
Before NSU
• voted Who's Who Among National Junior Colleges
High School
• advanced to the playoffs every season including a state championship his senior season and runner-up sophomore season
• lettered in baseball four years and one year in basketball and football
• coached by Jeff McClaskey
Personal
• born Aug. 24, 1992
• son of Kathy and Louis
• one sister, Allison and one brother, Matt
• majoring in biology
• wants to go to physical therapy school
 

Hunter Duvic
LHP • 6-3 • 215 • St. Francisville, LA (Hinds Community College • West Feliciana HS)
 
Before NSU
• played two years at Hind CC
• state champions and regional runner-up as a team
High School
• named first team all-district pitcher and first base and all-metro pitcher senior season
• first team all-district and all-metro pitcher junior season
• lettered four years in baseball and soccer
• coached in baseball by Dale Reich and in soccer by David Perry
Personal
• born Oct. 26, 1992
• son of Deborah and David
• one sister, Hannah
• majoring in history
• hopes to go to law school or be a coach


John Gault
RHP • 6-4 • 215 • Shreveport, LA (Hinds Community College • Calvary Baptist HS)
 
Before NSU
• played two years at Hind CC
• voted Under Armor Preseason All-American and Rawlings All-American
High School
• named first-team all-district senior, junior, and sophomore season and second-team all-district freshman year
• advanced to the playoffs every season at Calvary including the state championship his freshman season
• lettered in football, basketball, and baseball
• member of the Math Club and Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Personal
• born Nov. 13, 1992
• son of Margie and Fed Gault
• one sister, Jennifer
• aspires to get a job in business
 

C.J. Webster
Catcher • 6-1 • 200 • Rancho Santa Margarita, CA (Cypress College • Santa Margarita Catholic HS)
 
Before NSU
• redshirted at Cal State Fullerton before transferring Cypress College
• played in 18 games at Cypress and hit .360 with 14 runs batted in
High School
• named team MVP senior season hitting .475 with eight homeruns
• won the Trinity League batting title and named All-Trinity first-team, along with first team all-county
• participated in the So Cal Homerun Derby
• hit .306 with a homerun and 12 runs batted in wining All-Trinity League honorable mention.
• lettered three years in baseball
• member of the Chamber Choir, Student Ambassador, Ping-Pong Club, Journalism Chief Editor and writer
Personal
• born June 23, 1992
• son of Shayne and Mark Webster
• two brothers, Mark and Drew
• majoring in communications
• wants to get a public relations job in Major League Baseball