Thunderducks' 11 Players Off to Next Level
DALLAS – Eleven Dallas College Richland baseball players are headed to play at the next level.
Pitcher Jason Scrantom is moving on to the University of Texas at Arlington. UTA is one of the most improved team's in the country, having a 14-game win improvement with its new coaching staff's first season. UTA advanced to the Western Athletic Conference semifinals this past season. Scrantom went 3-4 with a 3.47 earned run average and 72 strikeouts in 49.1 innings pitched.
First baseman Aaron Biediger signed with Nicholls State University. Nicholls State University is coming off one of the program's best seasons, winning the Southland Conference Tournament and clinching a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Biediger batted .381 with 19 doubles, 18 home runs, 72 runs batted in, 69 runs scored and 15 stolen bases.
Pitcher Carson Caudill will play at Purdue University Fort Wayne. Purdue Fort Wayne competes in the Horizon League. The Mastodons beat Michigan State University and Horizon League Conference champions Wright State last season. Caudill was 1-1 with three saves, a 4.22 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 32 innings.
Pitcher Ryan Taylor is off to Rollins College. Rollins fell short in the NCAA Division II National Championship game to San Angelo State. Taylor was 3-2 with two saves with a 5.59 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 29 innings.
Shortstop Nick Chalman and catcher Kyle Stanners both will play for neighboring University of Texas at Dallas, an NCAA Division III program transitioning to NCAA Division II. UTD had five wins versus nationally-ranked opponents this past season. The Comets will move into the Lone Star Conference in Division II. Chalman batted .403 with eight home runs, 19 doubles, five triples, 50 RBI, 15 stolen bases and 73 runs scored. Stanners hit .265 with five doubles, a homer, 11 RBI, three stolen bases and nine runs.
Catcher Will Bomersbach is headed Newman University, an NCAA Diviison II school in Kansas. Newman had three wins against Top 25 opponents. Bomersbach batted .333 with six doubles, four home runs, a triple, 22 RBI and 13 runs scored.
Third baseman Wes Flatt is off to Southwestern Assemblies of God University. SAGU is coming off a successful season at 32-22, and was ranked in the NAIA national polls twice during the 2023 season. Flatt had a .324 batting average with 10 doubles, three triples, three homers, 45 RBI, 29 stolen bases and 53 runs scored.
Pitchers Jacob Blaede and Taylor Hendrix will play for Texas Wesleyan University. Texas Wesleyan finished the season rated No. 14 in the NAIA National polls, and clinched a berth in the NAIA National Tournament. Blaede went 8-2 with a 3.30 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 79 innings. Hendrix was 2-1 with four saves, a 2.84 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 19 innings.
Outfielder Mason Musgrave is headed to Texas Lutheran University. TLU finished the season 29-15 in second place in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. Musgrave hit .217 with three doubles, four RBI and three stolen bases in 11 games.
Richland Baseball Players to Four-Year Schools
Jason Scrantom, P, UT-Arlington
Aaron Biediger, 1B, Nicholls State
Carson Caudill, P, Purdue-Fort Wayne
Ryan Taylor, P, Rollins College
Nick Chalman, SS, UT Dallas
Kyle Stanners, C, UT Dallas
Will Bomersbach, C, Newman University
Wes Flatt, 3B, Southwestern Assemblies of God
Jacob Blaede, P, Texas Wesleyan
Taylor Hendrix, P, Texas Wesleyan
Mason Musgrave, OF, Texas Lutheran