Northern State head baseball coach Dean Berry has announced the addition of five players, all pitchers, who will join the NSU baseball squad next fall and compete during the 2014 season.
The players, Tyler Litman (Lino Lakes, Minn.), Jordan "JD" Barr (South Sioux City, Neb.), Erick Cervenka (Lakeville, Minn.), Philip Sauer (Forest Lake, Minn.) and Trevor Tomlinson (Spokane, Wash.) inked their commitments during the NCAA early signing period.
"I'm very excited about this early signing class," said Berry. "Pitching is so key to our success and every one of these guys can help us on the mound. They are tremendous young men and they excel in the classroom, as well. I'm looking forward to seeing them in a Wolves' uniform."
- Litman is a 6-foot-2 right-hander out of Centennial High School in Circle Pines, Minn. He posted a 7-2 record over the past two seasons, including a 4-1 mark and a 2.18 ERA in 2012.
- Barr is a 6-foot-4 right-hander from Bishop Heelan High School who led the Crusaders to the semifinals of the 2012 3A Iowa State Tournament last season. Barr went 4-2 on the season with a 2.68 ERA and two saves while hitting .343 as the Crusaders finished 35-11 on the year. He was named the team MVP as a sophomore.
- Cervenka is a 6-foot-3 hurler out of Lakeville South High School. He went 4-1 as a starter during the 2012 American Legion summer season, a campaign that also saw him record a no-hitter.
- Sauer comes to the Wolves from Forest Lake High School, where he earned All-Suburban East Conference honors as a sophomore in 2011 after going 5-0. He led the Rangers in innings pitched in both 2011 and 2012 and was chosen as a team captain for the upcoming 2013 season. The Rangers went 14-10 last season, falling in the section finals. The Rangers won the section tournament title in both 2010 and 2011, advancing to finish fifth and seventh, respectively, in the state tournament.
- is a 6-foot left-hander from Central Valley High School in Veradale, Wash. A two-year starter for the Bears, he has earned three varsity letters. He also played football and basketball for the Bears during his freshman and sophomore seasons.