MSUB Adds MCC Catcher (6/22/07)

BILLINGS, MT – Montana State University Billings baseball coach Chris Brown announced Friday that Steven Larson will transfer from Miles Community College to play for the Yellowjackets.  The Ronan, Mont., native is a 6-foot-1 catcher who played two seasons for the Pioneers.

“We are very excited to have Steven join our program,” said Brown.  “He is a very gifted defensive player with a strong arm and a good feel for the game.  At the plate he has developed into a solid, disciplined hitter that puts the ball in play and has the ability to drive the ball gap to gap.  Steven is a leader on and off the field.  He is a solid student that will make an immediate impact in our program at practice, in the classroom, and on the field.”

Larson started 48 games for the Pioneers this season, helping them reach the NJCAA Division II World Series.  He batted .288 in 146 at bats and was third on the team with 39 RBIs.  Larson had a .974 fielding percentage and threw out 13 of 35 base runners.

Larson will by vying for the catching spot vacated by graduated senior Jake Samuelson.  Samuelson, who also came to MSUB from Miles Community College, has been the Jackets’ regular catcher for the program’s first two seasons.  The team captain and leader, Samuelson batted .302 in 86 games over the last two seasons.

The Yellowjackets will move from the Heartland Conference to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference beginning with the 2008 season.  Central Washington, Western Oregon, Saint Martin’s, and Northwest Nazarene are the other baseball schools in the GNAC.