November 18, 1998
COLUMBIA, Mo- University of Missouri Head Baseball Coach Tim Jamieson announced the signings of seven recruits to the 1999 recruiting class this morning. The Tigers closed the boarders so to speak as six of the seven recruits are Missouri natives.
Headlining the class is Ryan Rallo of CBC High in St. Louis. He is the younger brother of current Tiger hitting star Mike Rallo, and is the cousin of Nick Rallo who played for the Tigers from 1983-86 and John Rallo who also played two years at Mizzou. Ryan Rallo is considered one of the top players in the St. Louis area and one of the top high school hitters in the midwest.
In two seasons at CBC, Rallo has a career .533 batting average with 11 HR and 68 RBI in 180 at bats. His summer totals are even more impressive. Over the last two seasons, Rallo has hit at a .455 clip with 22 HR and 88 RBI in 244 at bats. He has been a St. Louis Post-Dispatch All-Metro selection each of the last two seasons.
Rockhurst High School's Kevin Henry also will join the Tigers in the fall of 1999. The six-foot- four slugger is a pure power hitter and is also recognized as one the top hitters in the midwest. Henry, a first baseman, could also see time on the mound as well.
This past summer, Henry hit .280 with 19 HR and 69 RBI for the Kansas City Sluggers. The Sluggers went 53-14 this past summer.
Henry will be joined by two other Sluggers teammates this fall. Outfielder Jayce Tingler comes to Mizzou from Smithville High School. He is the ideal leadoff hitter as he hit .434 this summer with 52 bases-on-balls and just 10 strikeouts. He drove in 42 runs and ended the season with 198 official at bats. Tingler will bring a good glove and much needed speed to the Tiger roster.
Right-handed pitcher Andy Powers was also a teammate of Henry and Tingler for the Sluggers. Powers, from St. Joseph Central High School in St. Joseph, Mo. Went 9-1 and saved four games this summer. In 61 innings of work, Powers collected 45 strike outs which is an average of nine per game. He also recorded three complete games.
The Tigers will also add talented infielder Eric Errante to the recruiting class. Errante, from Oakville High School in the St. Louis area, was the MVP of the 1997 Oklahoma Super Series. He hit .508 last summer with 6 HR and 48 RBI in 54 games. Errante had an on-base percentage of .710. Errante chose MU over Oklahoma State.
Carthage, Mo. product Drew Endicott joins the Tigers as a right-handed pitcher. Endicott recorded a 7-3 record for Carthage High last season with a 1.95 ERA. He struck out 73 hitters in 64 innings of work while walking 23. Endicott is said to have one of the best arms in the midwest.
The lone out-of-state recruit is Brian Desch, a catcher from Shawnee Mission North West High School in Shawnne, Kan. The 6'2, 190 pounder hit .452 last summer with 2 HR and 31 RBI.
Head Coach Tim Jamieson is very pleased with his new crop of signees.
"With this class, we really filled all of our needs," Jamieson said. "We did a great job signing the best kids that the state of Missouri had to offer, especially since all of these kids were so highly recruited nationally."