Eau Claire, Wis. – The Eau Claire Express roster continues to develop, as the team announced four more commitments to the 2010 roster today. University of Illinois-Chicago teammates Steve McGuiggan and Nathan Orf join the Express along with Nebraska Cornhusker teammates Josh Scheffert and Chris Williams. Field Manager Dale Varsho’s roster now stands at seven.
McGuiggan is a 5-foot-11-inch, 210-pound outfielder for the UIC Flames. The junior from Apple Valley, Minn. began his career with a bang, batting .370 while leading the team in hits (85), triples (5) and multi-hit games (27). His outstanding freshman season earned him several postseason honors, one of which was being named to the Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American Team. McGuiggan experienced a slight drop off as a sophomore, finishing with a .254 batting average and team-leading totals in stolen bases (18) and runs scored (37). In seven games this spring, McGuiggan has collected ten hits in 29 at-bats, good for a .345 batting average.
Orf is a 5-foot-8-inch, 165-pound sophomore at UIC. The catcher had a standout freshman season, collecting 48 hits in only 36 games. His .429 batting average contributed to his various postseason honors, which included being named to the Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American Team. Orf has a double in his only at-bat early on this season.
Scheffert, a 6-foot-2-inch infielder and pitcher, was a dominant two-way player at Lincoln (Neb.) Southeast High School. He pitched and played shortstop, collecting a 6-2 record and a 0.96 earned run average on the mound while batting .416 and driving in 32 runs as a batter. Scheffert has appeared in five of the Cornhuskers’ seven games early on this season, driving in six runs in 16 official at-bats.
Williams, a 6-foot-2-inch freshman pitcher, is a native of Omaha, Neb. The right-hander led his high school team to a state title as a senior, winning nine games with an impressive 1.63 ERA. Williams is likely to work out of the Huskers’ bullpen with the opportunity to work himself into a setup role. He has yet to appear in a game early on in Nebraska’s season.
The Express will open their 2010 season in La Crosse on June 2. The following day, the Loggers will travel to Carson Park for the Express home opener. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 and the game is sponsored by Maverick Media. Continue checking the www.eauclarieexpress.com in the coming weeks as the 2010 roster will continue to develop.
