Taking to the Road with Dallas Baptist University
It is not un-common in the Valley League for certain teams to build strong relationships with certain schools over the years. The Luray Wranglers have a pair of schools they rely on to fill their roster- one old one (Miami) and one new one (DBU Patriots). Head Coach Daniel Heefner is nearing the end of his fourth year at the helm of the DBU program and the Patriots (33-16 overall, 16-3 home) are looking for a post season birth.
The team has a Tuesday double header at Texas Tech in Lubbock and a weekend series in San Francisco (3 games) against the USF Dons. The roster has five players with ties to the Wrangler franchise including seniors Wayne Dowling and Andrew Pirtle.
Pirtle (.303 this season)has done the majority of the catching this season and Dowling (2-0,3.49 era, 17 apperances)has been strong coming out of the bullpen. Those two teamed to lead the 2007 Wranglers to a runner-up finish in the VBL last season. The two seniors can't return this year but the visit must of been a positive one as three of their teammates are making the long trip east this season.
Junior outfielder Clay Kelly (.311 in 44 games) will help man the outfield in Luray while freshman Chris Haney (C/RHP) and freshmanJosh Wilson (OF/RHP) will also play a huge part in the sucess of manager Mike BoCock's 2008 team.
Kelly is a left-hander from Austin, Texas while Haney resides in Garland,Texas
and Wilson is from Canton, Texas. After spending the season in the metro plex of Dallas- Fort Worth, we can only hope the new trio won't find Luray too fast for their liking!
Trying to live up to my word and running out of options, I will be making the trek out to Lubbock for the doubleheader in hopes of seeing both the past and the future Wranglers in action. Besides who wants to go to San Fran when you can go to Lubbock?
The team has a Tuesday double header at Texas Tech in Lubbock and a weekend series in San Francisco (3 games) against the USF Dons. The roster has five players with ties to the Wrangler franchise including seniors Wayne Dowling and Andrew Pirtle.
Pirtle (.303 this season)has done the majority of the catching this season and Dowling (2-0,3.49 era, 17 apperances)has been strong coming out of the bullpen. Those two teamed to lead the 2007 Wranglers to a runner-up finish in the VBL last season. The two seniors can't return this year but the visit must of been a positive one as three of their teammates are making the long trip east this season.
Junior outfielder Clay Kelly (.311 in 44 games) will help man the outfield in Luray while freshman Chris Haney (C/RHP) and freshmanJosh Wilson (OF/RHP) will also play a huge part in the sucess of manager Mike BoCock's 2008 team.
Kelly is a left-hander from Austin, Texas while Haney resides in Garland,Texas
and Wilson is from Canton, Texas. After spending the season in the metro plex of Dallas- Fort Worth, we can only hope the new trio won't find Luray too fast for their liking!
Trying to live up to my word and running out of options, I will be making the trek out to Lubbock for the doubleheader in hopes of seeing both the past and the future Wranglers in action. Besides who wants to go to San Fran when you can go to Lubbock?
