Northwestern University Athletics
Baseball Signs Four to Letters of Intent
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
December 16, 1998
EVANSTON, Ill. - The Northwestern baseball team signed four recruits during its early signing period, with each to begin play at NU during the 1999-2000 season. The signees include outfielder Brandon Ackley (Carmel, Ind./Carmel), shortstop Eric Roeder (Manitou Beach, Mich./Onsted), right-handed pitcher Christopher Spiering (Schaumburg, Ill./James B. Conant) and first baseman Travis Tharp (Boulder, Colo./Boulder).
Last season in high school Ackley hit .468 with 19 RBIs in 29 games. Playing for the Indiana Bulls in the summer, the right hander hit .441 with 23 RBIs in 19 games. His team went on to win the 17+ AAU Nationals. Northwestern head coach Paul Stevens describes Ackley as having tremendous arm strength and power.
Roeder hit .539 with 11 home runs and 63 RBIs last season while striking out only eight times. He stole 23 bases in 24 attempts. For his junior season, he was a first-team all-league, all-county and all-state selection.
Roeder we believe is a similar player to what (NU shortstop and 1998 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Jeremy) Kurella was, a diamond in the rough, says Stevens. Hes going to blossom into an outstanding infielder for us by the time he gets here.
Chris Spiering last spring was 4-1 with a 1.67 ERA, logging 43 strikeouts in 29.1 innings. He also batted .429. He was an all-conference selection as a sophomore. Spiering is your big time leader. His fastball has been clocked at 92 and he has an outstanding breaking ball, says Stevens.
Tharp, a left-hander, last season hit .482 with 15 home runs and 62 RBIs, striking out only 13 times in 52 games. He stole 32 bases in 37 attempts. Stevens describes him as a young man who has tremendous hitting skills as a first baseman.
