USI Baseball signs six for 2019

University of Southern Indiana Baseball announced the signing of six players – four incoming freshmen and two junior college transfers – in the early signing period. Of the six student-athletes signed by USI and Head Coach Tracy Archuleta, five are from Indiana and one from Colorado.

Selecting USI to continue their education and begin their collegiate baseball careers are infielder Bryson McNay (Sellersburg, Indiana), catcher Lucas McNew (Floyds Knobs, Indiana), left-handed pitcher Paul Perez (Trinidad, Colorado), right-handed pitcher Kendal Riley (Terre Haute, Indiana), infielder Kobe Stephens (Dale, Indiana), and infielder Adam Wildeman (Evansville, Indiana).

“This fall, Assistant Coach Jeremy Kuester really focused on bringing some of the best talent from central and southern Indiana area,” said Archuleta. “With nine seniors on this year’s squad, the six signees will have the ability to make an immediate impact on the 2019 team.

Biographies of USI Baseball’s fall signees:

McNay: The infielder is entering his senior season at Silver Creek High School (Sellersburg, Indiana) after being named the Baseball Player of the Year by News-Tribune Sports Performance Yearly (NTSPY) when he batted .510 with 14 doubles, three triples, nine home runs, 40 RBIs, and 50 runs scored in 33 games as a junior. McNay, who also was a Louisville Courier-Journal Baseball Player of the Year finalist in 2017, also set the SCHS season records for hits, RBIs, and runs scored as a junior and established a new career-home run mark last spring.

McNew: The catcher begins his senior year at William W. Borden High School (Borden, Indiana) after earning honorable mention All-State and first-team All-Area as a junior when he batted .462 with seven doubles, two triples, seven home runs, and 23 RBIs. McNew also was a finalist for the NTSPY Baseball Player of the Year award.

Perez: The left-handed pitcher is currently a sophomore at Trinidad State Junior College after spending 2017 at Western Oklahoma State Junior College. Perez lettered in baseball at Calusa Preparatory School (Miami, Florida).

Riley: The right-handed pitcher starts his senior season at Terre Haute North Vigo High School where he has lettered in baseball and basketball. Riley, who spent most of 2017 recovering from elbow surgery, helped Terre Haute North to the Indiana state finals in 2015 and to the Conference Indiana championship in 2016.

Stephens: The shortstop enters his sophomore season at Wabash Valley College after batting .397 with 37 runs scored, 28 RBIs, 21 stolen bases, six doubles, one triple, and one home run in helping lead the Warriors to a third-place finish in the 2017 NJCAA World Series as a freshman. Stephens lettered in baseball and basketball at South Spencer High School (Rockport, Indiana), helping lead the Rebels to Indiana state titles in 2013 and 2015.

Wildeman: The infielder begins his senior season at Mater Dei High School (Evansville, Indiana) after earning second-team All-SIAC honors in baseball, hitting .390 with an on-base percentage of .490 in 2017. Wildeman, who also has lettered in football at MDHS, drove in 13 RBIs and scored 13 runs in 2017.