Stephen F. Austin adds 6 for 2011

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FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Stephen F. Austin head baseball coach Johnny Cardenas has announced the signing of six student-athletes to National Letters of Intent for the upcoming 2011 season. The class includes three players from the high school ranks along with three junior college transfers.

The all-Texas class includes two high school pitchers – Fabian Arcizo (Milby HS) and Kevin Bishop (A&M Consolidated HS) – and one high school position player – Hunter Dozier (Denton HS). Cardenas will also be bringing in a trio of junior college players that include outfielder Bryson Myles (Weatherford College), pitcher Colton Eubanks (Blinn College) and utility infielder Bryce Cummings (Weatherford College).

"We are excited about this class," Cardenas said. "We made great strides as a program last season and this class will give us an opportunity to continue in the right direction, which is moving forward in a quest to win a Southland Conference championship."

2010 Signees
Fabian Arcizo, RHP – 6’0", 200 lbs, R/R (Houston, Texas/ Milby HS)
Arcizo was one of the top right-handed arms in the Houston area as a senior, leading Milby HS to the Class 5A playoffs where it ran into the state’s No. 1 ranked team in the first round. He was named the team’s pitcher of the year each of the past two seasons, and lettered for four years on the varsity squad. Arcizo was named a first team all-district pitcher as both a junior and a senior and was even named to the first team all-academic team for the Greater Houston Area in 2010.

Cardenas on Arcizo: "Fabian is a righty that already throws in the mid-to-upper 80s and who should come in and compete for our third spot as a weekend starter or a late-inning guy out of the bullpen."

Bryson Myles, OF – 6’0", 225 lbs, R/R (Grand Prairie, Texas/ Arlington Grace Prep / Weatherford JC)
One of the top base stealers in the nation in the junior college ranks each of the last two years, Myles will be the frontrunner to take over a corner outfield spot next year after the `Jacks lost a pair of senior outfielders to graduation a year ago. As a sophomore he finished second in the nation with 53 stolen bases in 2010, just one year after breaking current Lumberjack Garrett Smith’s school stolen base record with 39 as a freshman at Weatherford College.

A standout football player in high school at Arlington Grace Prep, Myles brings a frame that is more reminiscent of a linebacker than an outfielder at a thick 6-foot, 225 pounds. After earning second team all-conference honors in 2009, he built upon that with a 2010 season that saw him earn first team honors on both the all-conference and all-region teams after hitting .371 with five homers and 30 RBI at the top of the Coyotes’ lineup.

Cardenas on Myles: "Bryson is a guy that has stolen a lot of bases at the junior college level, and we look for him to come in and be a starter in the outfield and a top-of-the-order threat in our lineup."

Kevin Bishop, RHP/3B – 6’1", 210 lbs, R/R (College Station, Texas / A&M Consolidated HS)
Bishop turned out to be a pleasant surprise for the Tigers as a senior, developing into the team’s ace after earning third team all-district honors as a junior at third base. The righty guided A&M Consolidated three rounds deep in the Class 5A state playoffs, elevating the Tigers to No. 6 in the state at the end of the regular season.

The righty was named to the TABC Class 5A all-state first team after a senior season that saw him finish the year with a 10-2 record and 1.69 ERA. Bishop held hitters to just a .200 batting average on the year, fanning 81 batters and walking just 11 in 74.2 innings of work.

Cardenas on Bishop: "Kevin is a candidate to play either a third base or a pitch, and we will give him the opportunity to do both. He is an upper-80s pitcher that really broke out as a senior in high school and we feel as though can come in and immediately contribute for us as a freshman."

Hunter Dozier, UTL – 6’3", 195 lbs, R/R (Denton, Texas / Denton HS)
Dozier was a jack-of-all trades at Denton High School throughout his career, doubling as not only the Broncos’ starting shortstop and ace pitcher, but also as the school’s quarterback on the gridiron.

On the diamond, Dozier was the 2008 district Newcomer of the Year and an all-area selection as a second baseman. He was named the team’s defensive MVP as a junior despite having to battle through a lingering football injury throughout the baseball season, and came back as a senior to earn all-district honors as a senior after hitting .400 with five home runs for DHS.

Cardenas on Dozier: "Hunter is an outstanding pure athlete who could quite possibly be a part-time player for us immediately in the infield, and should have the power to hit at the Division I level in the middle of the order for us."

Bryce Cummings, UTL – 5’10", 185 lbs, R/R (Mesquite, Texas / Poteet HS / Weatherford College)
The Lumberjacks went to the Weatherford College well once more in landing Cummings, a utility infielder that gives Johnny Cardenas plenty of depth and flexibility at multiple positions for 2011.

Cummings hit .340 for the Coyotes as a sophomore in 2010, scoring 42 times in 55 games, hitting four homers with 44 RBI while leading the Coyotes to the regional tournament. He also brings success from the high school ranks, leading Mesquite Poteet High School to the state tournament in 2007.

Cardenas on Cummings: "Bryce is a utility infielder who should give us a lot of flexibility with his ability to play anywhere in the infield. He is a proven, quality collegiate hitter who should give us quality at-bats at the top of the order."

Colton Eubanks, RHP – 6’3", 210 lbs, R/R (Caldwell, Texas/ Caldwell HS / Blinn College)
The `Jacks added another arm with Eubanks just one season after the right-hander tossed 56.1 innings for Blinn College in 2010, including 11 starts, in helping guide the Bucs to the Region XIV championship game where they lost to No. 1 ranked San Jacinto.

A former high school teammate of current Lumberjack reliever Cory Ochs, Eubanks was an all-Brazos Valley and a first team all-district selection for the Hornets as a senior, striking out 87 hitters in 73 innings

Cardenas on Eubanks: "Colton is a hard-throwing righty that should give us an immediate late-inning option as maybe a set-up or a closer."