Dec. 1, 1999

LAS VEGAS: The UNLV baseball program has signed eight players to national letters-of-intent, it was announced by head coach Rod Soesbe. The talented recruiting class features five local products, four from Silverado High School and one from Green Valley High School.

The stellar recruiting class includes George Fletcher, Courtney Hall, Jo Jo Jacobitz, Ryan Ruiz, Ben Scheinbaum, twin brothers James and Joe Wickman and Robbie Van.

Fletcher, 6-foot-1, 185, is a senior first baseman from Issaquah High School in Washington and has played for coach Rob Reese. The 1999 team was 22-5 and were league and regional champions and finished fourth in state. As a junior (1999), he batted .471 (40-for-85). He also had 12 doubles, 3 home runs and 35 RBI. On the mound, he compiled a record of 7-1 with a 3.78 ERA in 50 innings pitched.

?George is a young man that we feel is going to be as good a first baseman around the bag that we?ve ever had at UNLV,? Soesbe said. ?He has good pop in his bat and will be able to drive the ball for us. We are excited about his ability of playing that position.? He earned first-team All-KINCO (King County) as a sophomore and junior. He was All-East Side team as a junior. Last summer, he played American Legion and hit 11 home runs, eight of which came in the six-game post season tournament.

Hall, 6-foot-5, 200, is a sophomore right-handed pitcher at Edmonds Community College in Lynnwood, Wash. He has played for coach Don Marbut. He redshirted last season and compiled a 7-1 record in his freshman season in 1998. He struck out 71 batters in 60 innings pitched. He was selected in the 44th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the last year?s draft. ?He has been drafted a couple of times and he will be able to come in as a JC player and contribute right away,? Soesbe said. ?He is almost a strike out an inning type pitcher. He will give us some help with our young staff. He has the potential to be a starter for us. We are excited about bringing a JC player in with his caliber.?

Jacobitz, 6-foot-3, 220, is a senior from Saint Ignatius College Preparatory School in San Francisco, Calif. He has lettered two seasons under coach Jim Bjorkquist. He is a switch-hitting catcher and earned second-team West Catholic Athletic League (WCAL) honors last season. As a junior, he batted .447 (42-for-94) with 4 home runs, 29 RBI and 23 runs scored. He batted .484 (15-for-31) in WCAL play with 10 runs scored and 14 RBI. ?Jo Jo is a young man that we?ve seen that has outstanding ability to drive the ball from both sides of the plate,? Soesbe said. ?I?m excited about having a catcher that is a switch-hitter and has power from both sides. He is still growing and filling out. He can catch and throw and he will be a great combination with our other young catcher (James) Nepa.?

Four members of Silverado?s team highlight the recruiting class which will bolster UNLV?s talent for the 2001 season. Silverado was 18-7 overall last season and won the Sunrise Division under coach Brian Whitaker, who played infield for the UNLV Baseball team in 1985.

Ruiz, 5-foot-8, 180, is a senior shortstop from Silverado. As a junior, he batted .338 (23-for-68) with 23 RBI and 6 stolen bases. He earned second-team All-Sunrise Division honors. ?He is one of the best shortstops in the city,? Soesbe said. ?He?s got a plus arm and has the ability to swing the bat and will be able to step in and play as a freshman. He is just an outstanding individual both on and off the field.?

Twin brothers James and Joe Wickman are both 4.0 scholar-athletes at Silverado. James, 6-foot-1, 190, is a senior right-handed pitcher. As a junior, he appeared in 8 games and compiled a record of 6-2 with a 2.98 ERA. He struck out 24 batters in 40 innings pitched and recorded 5 complete games. He earned second-team All-Sunrise Division honors. ?We are going to let James play both the outfield and pitcher,? Soesbe said. ?We will then determine what way we will use him as he develops. He has the potential to play both positions (in college) because he can swing the bat.?

Joe, 6-foot-1, 185, is a senior third baseman. As a junior, he batted .282 (20-for-71). He earned honorable mention All-Sunrise Division honors. He enjoyed an outstanding summer in American Legion competition and recorded a .441 average. ?We feel Joe will be a real good left-handed hitter and third baseman,? Soesbe said. ?He should contribute as a freshman. I like the way he swings the bat and the power potential that he has.?

Van, 6-foot-2, 185, is a senior left-handed pitcher and rounds out Silverado?s foursome that will attend UNLV. As a junior, he appeared in 10 games and posted a 5-2 record, 2 saves, 2.77 ERA, 5 complete games, and struck out 50 batters in 53 innings pitched. He earned first-team All-Sunrise Division and first-team all-conference. ?We are excited to have Robbie because he is close to a strike out an inning type pitcher,? Soesbe said. ?He is a power type pitcher that will add a lot to our staff. It?s exciting to have him and it will add another left-hander to the staff.

?Overall, with those four kids, it?s just a credit to Brian Whitaker to have those types of players on one team. He has developed those kids since they were freshman. It?s just outstanding what he has done with those kids.? Additionally, all four members from Silverado have lettered all three years in high school.

Scheinbaum, 6-foot-5, 210, is a senior left-handed pitcher from Green Valley High School and has played under coach Nick Garritano, former outstanding place kicker at UNLV from 1991-94. ?He is another pitcher who has a good strike out to innings pitched ratio,? Soesbe said. ?Being a left-handed pitcher, he really helps our staff. He?s not through growing yet. He?s got unlimited ceiling for him. We?re excited about him to be in our program.? He has lettered one year for the Gators. His combined statistics for Green Valley and American Legion play are an 8-2 record with a 2.42 ERA and struck out 68 batters in 78 innings pitched.

?We felt like as a staff this is a fine recruiting class locally plus the three kids from outside the area, it is outstanding? Soesbe said. ?We have some outstanding young kids to come in with the JC kids. These kids are going to be able to step in and play.

?To put these recruits with the players we have coming back, we are excited about the future of Rebel baseball. This was the best recruiting class we have assembled since I have been head coach.?