EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Evansville head baseball coach Wes Carroll announced the signing of seven student-athletes to National Letters of Intent (NLI) Friday afternoon to continue their athletic and academic careers at UE.  The Purple Aces' signing class includes four pitchers and three position players who will join the Evansville baseball team for the 2016 season.
 
"I would like to thank assistant coaches Andy Pascoe and Cody Fick on putting together a great recruiting class," said Carroll. "They worked extremely hard to bring in well-rounded student-athletes to this University.  I feel very confident that we have signed an outstanding class of student-athletes both on and off the field to build upon the success of our championship season last year.  We look forward to all of these young men to step on campus next fall."
 
The 2016 UE baseball signing class includes:  Austin Allinger (West Chester, Ohio/ Lakota West), Brandon Gomer (Lenexa, Ga./ Shawnee Mission Northwest), Trey Hair (Firth, Neb./ Fort Scott Community College), Jonathan Kruppe (Naperville, Ill./ Benet Academy), Cody Mobley (Mount Vernon, Indiana/ Mount Vernon) Nathan Reeder (Shawnee, Kan./ Shawnee Mission Northwest), and Alex Weigand (Bourbonnais, Ill./ Bradley Bourbonnais). 
AUSTIN ALLINGER, 6-0, PITCHER/INFIELDER, R/R
WEST CHESTER, OHIO (LAKOTA WEST)
 
Notable:  Was 7-0 in spring of 2014 with a 0.84 earned run average and a 0.92 WHIP. His ERA last season set the mark for lowest single season ERA at Lakota West. Also hit .396 at the plate and had a .477 on base percentage. First ever in Lakota history to make and start on the varsity team as a freshman…won the Golden Glove Award, Rookie of the Year Award, Cy Young Award and team Most Valuable Player Honors in addition to a Louisville Slugger Award…named All-Conference twice, and second team All-State once…he threw a perfect game against the Indiana Bulls in Summer ball in 2013….high school team won the Conference once, districts twice, and regional once….
 
Coach Fick on Allinger:  "We are thrilled to bring Austin into the Aces Baseball family.  He is a very talented RHP and has potential to be a 2-way player here.  Austin flashes a fastball into the low 90's and also has polished off speed pitches that are swing and miss.  I look forward to working with him next year as I believe he will have tremendous success in the Missouri Valley Conference." 
BRANDON GOMER, 6-4, PITCHER, R/R
LENEXA, GA. (SHAWNEE MISSION NORTHWEST)
 
Notable: Was 0-2 this spring with a 2.21 earned run average, lowest on the team. Pitched 25.2 innings, yielding just five walks and recording 20 strikeouts...was a high school teammate of UE recruit and fellow signee Nathan Reeder.
 
Coach Fick on Gomer:  "A projectable RHP that is already in the upper 80's with his fastball.  Brandon has a high ceiling on the mound and will thrive on our pitching staff.  I look forward to working with him in the years to come."  
TREY HAIR, 5-10, INFIELDER, L/R
FIRTH, NEB. (FORT SCOTT COMMUNITY COLLEGE)
 
Notable:  Played 23 games, making 10 starts in 2013 for Missouri State before transferring to Fort Scott Community College… Lettered three years in football and four in baseball at Norris High School…Was 2012 and 2013 All District Honorable Mention in Football and 2013 All Conference Honorable Mention in Baseball…In 2013, he led the state in average at .495, runs with 40 and hits with 47…In 2014, he was recognized by Baseball America as the #8 Prospect on the Mink League Top 10 Prospects List.
 
Coach Carroll on Hair: "It was important for us to bring in a middle infielder for next year and we landed a great one with Trey.  He has experience in the Missouri Valley Conference and has a chance to be a great hitter in this league.   Trey played with a couple of our players last summer and they raved about him as a player and person.  He is a great fit for our program and I look forward to him playing in an Aces uniform." 
JONATHAN KRUPPE, 6-5, CATCHER/PITCHER, R/R
NAPERVILLE, ILL. (BENET ACADEMY)
 
Notable:  Hit .330 as a junior with two home runs, 11 doubles and 29 runs batted in…Named All-Area Honorable Mention by Naperville Sun…was 3-1 on the mound as a sophomore with a 2.70 earned run average…high school team won back to back conference championships during his sophomore and junior years, which is first in program history…went 5-for-5 in one of his biggest games against Wheaton North with two doubles.
 
Coach Pascoe on Kruppe:  "Jon comes to campus with tremendous versatility.  He is a very physical athlete that can play behind the plate or at 1B but can also get on the mound showcasing an upper 80's fastball.  Jon is projected to be a middle of the order hitter and we are very excited to get him on campus next fall" 
CODY MOBLEY, 6-3, PITCHER, R/R
MOUNT VERNON, IND. (MOUNT VERNON)
 
Notable:  An All Big Eight Conference and All Southwest Indiana All Star in 2014…Was 6-1 with a save and 61 strikeouts in 33.2 innings this spring. Had an ERA of 1.66 and a 1.04 WHIP…tossed 6.0 innings, yielding just four hits and striking out six in 2014 Section vs. Gibson Southern…Won 2011 BPA World Series Championship.
 
Coach Carroll on Mobley:  "I am very excited to add a local player in Cody to our recruiting class.  He has tremendous upside with a low 90's fastball and wipeout slider.  He has the potential to be a power arm on our staff.  It is always great to put a local player into an Aces uniform."  
NATHAN REEDER, 5-10, OUTFIELDER, L/L
SHAWNEE, KAN. (SHAWNEE MISSION NORTHWEST)
 
Notable:  2^nd Team All State and 1^st Team All Sunflower Conference…hit .417 with a .632 on base percentage… had 15 stolen bases in 16 attempts with only two strikeouts this spring... was a high school teammate of UE recruit and fellow signee Nathan Reeder.
 
Coach Pascoe on Reeder:  "We saw Nate at our Prospect Camp and really liked what we saw.  He has a great approach at the plate and I really like his bat path.  He's a scrappy hardnosed player that our program covets.  His skills will showcase well in our system." 
ALEX WEIGAND, 6-2, PITCHER, R/L
BOURBONNAIS, ILL. (BRADLEY BOURBONNAIS)
 
Notable:  Was named to the All-area team…had an earned run average of 1.20..posted 69 strikeouts this season…lettered three years in baseball…played two years of football in high school.
 
Coach Fick on Weigand:  "Alex is a projectable LHP who showcases a plus curveball.  He has a quick arm and as he continues to get stronger, Alex could be a large contributor to our pitching staff.  I look forward to his arrival next fall."