Where are they now: MCC baseball players
Former Marshalltown Community College baseball players have found new homes throughout the country across all levels of collegiate baseball following their stints at MCC. Many players are having impactful seasons for their respective teams.
Photo Gallery: Baseball Alumni
Former Marshalltown Community College baseball players have found new homes throughout the country across all levels of collegiate baseball following their stints at MCC. Many players are having impactful seasons for their respective teams.
(Click on the player names to see individual bios from their current teams)
Austin Allen- Graceland University Yellowjackets (NAIA)
Austin Allen has started all 36 games for the Yellowjackets this season and ranks third on the team with 28 hits. Allen has scored 18 runs thanks to an on-base percentage of .400 as of April 8. He has driven in 18 runners, second-most for the 15-21 Yellowjackets.
At MCC, Allen played in 93 total games as a primary outfielder. Allen collected 55 hits. He was named to the Academic All-Region XI Second-Team as a sophomore.
Daryl Blaskovich- Lindsey Wilson University Blue Raiders (NAIA)
Blaskovich moved on to NAIA power Lindsey Wilson following a stellar career at MCC. Blaskovich has started 26 games for the Blue Raiders this season. He is currently batting .295 with 26 hits, including two home runs. Blaskovich has driven in 20 runs and scored 25 more to help Lindsey Wilson jump out to a 24-14 record this season.
Blaskovich was a two-time All-Region XI Second-Team selection for the Tigers. The Tigers' primary shortstop, Blaskovich eclipsed the 100-hit plateau as a sophomore, finishing his MCC career with 104 knocks and a career .327 batting average. Along with his athletic honors, Blaskovich was a two-time member of the Academic All-Region XI First-Team.
Richard England- University of Illinois Springfield Prairie Stars (NCAA Division II)
England has made an immediate impact for the Prairie Stars. The right handed pitcher has served as both a starter and a reliever, posting a 1-1 record with two saves in nine appearances. He earned a save and a win in back-to-back appearances out of the bullpen earlier in the year. England has a 3.84 earned run average through 21.0 innings.
England served as the Tigers' ace as a sophomore in 2014, tossing a team-high 57.1 innings while going 3-3 on the mound. England's 59 strikeouts led MCC during his final season.
Tyler Evans- Newman University Jets (NCAA Division II)
Evans has emerged as a senior, starting 30 of a possible 32 games for the Jets. Evans' .325 batting average currently ranks third on the team while his 15 stolen bases rank second in the Heartland Conference. The infielder put together a 10-game hitting streak earlier this year and has hit safely in 23 of his 30 games played.
At MCC, Evans appeared in 85 career games, collecting 76 total hits along with 54 RBI. He was named an Honorable Mention selection to the All-Region XI team as a freshman.
Jeff Degano- Indiana State University Sycamores (NCAA Division I)
Degano, a redshirt junior, was a member of head coach Rich Grife's 2011 and 2012 teams that won a combined 55 games. At Indiana State, Degano has been one of the most dominant pitchers in Division I this year. The southpaw has posted a 5-2 record with a 1.84 earned run average in 53.2 innings of work. Degano has struck out 68 batters for the Sycamores which ranks sixth in the nation.
At MCC, Degano earned First-Team All-Region XI honors as a freshman and won a total of eight games in 16 starts. Degano struck out 98 batters over two years, including 65 as a rookie.
Justen Folger- Alabama A&M University Bulldogs (NCAA Division I)
One of five members currently on the Bulldogs' roster, Folger leads the team with a .371 batting average. In two seasons for the Bulldogs, Folger has collected 52 hits. Against Mississippi Valley State on April 4 of this year, Folger went 4-5 at the plate with four RBI to lead the Bulldogs to a win.
Folger appeared in 86 career games for the Tigers, finishing his career with 83 total hits. Folger also drove in 52 runs and scored 47 runs over the course of two seasons.
Schyler Kane- Dordt College Defenders (NAIA)
Kane has appeared in five games on the mound for Dordt, logging the second-most innings on the team with 26. Kane's first-career win came on March 9 against Winnipeg, a 10-2 victory in Tucson, AZ.
Kane provided plenty of support out of the bullpen for the Tigers in 2014, making 14 appearances and pitching 24.1 innings. He recorded three wins as a sophomore, including two in conference play.
Eric Kent- Williams Baptist College Eagles (NAIA)
In his first season for the Eagles, Kent has appeared in all but two games, making four appearances on the mound. Kent has recorded 15 hits, including four doubles along with 13 runs scored.
In two seasons for the Tigers, Kent played in a total of 74 games. He recorded 40 hits in 2014 as the team's primary third baseman. His 29 RBI last season were tied for second-most on the team.
Ben Lott- Alabama A&M University Bulldogs (NCAA Division I)
After transferring to Alabama A&M following a year with Murray State, Lott has posted a .296 batting average in 2015. He has played in 24 games this season with a slugging percentage of .408 in 71 plate appearances.
As a Tiger, Lott was a mainstay in the lineup, starting 108 of a possible 111 games in his career, posting a lifetime average of .369 with 132 hits. He was an honorable mention All-Region XI selection as a freshman and was a first-team choice as a sophomore.
Bennett Mann- Buena Vista University Beavers (NCAA Division III)
Bennett Mann made the trek to Storm Lake, IA to play for the Beavers. Mann has continued a successful hitting career at Buena Vista and is batting .328 while playing in 20 of the team's 21 games. Mann has scored 18 runs while driving in 14 more. He has recorded 10 extra base hits, including two home runs in his first season at Buena Vista.
A long-ball threat for the Tigers as a sophomore, Mann led the ICCAC with 14 home runs during his final year at MCC. For his efforts, the Marshalltown High School graduate was named to the Honorable Mention All-Region XI team.
Sean McGuire- Graceland University Yellowjackets (NAIA)
McGuire has appeared in nine games for the Yellowjackets, recording 11.1 innings on the mound. The senior southpaw has struck out nine batters.
A native of Surrey, British Columbia, McGuire pitched 13 innings over two seasons for the Tigers
Ty Russell- Alabama A&M University Bulldogs (NCAA Division I)
The most recent Tiger to join the Bulldog contingent, Russell signed with Alabama A&M in the summer of 2014. In his first season, Russell has made 20 starts for the Bulldogs and has connected on two home runs. He has scored 12 runs for the 19-16 Bulldogs, currently in second place in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).
Russell was a two-time All-Region XI selection at MCC, earning first-team honors as a freshman and second-team honors as a sophomore. Russell recorded 92 career hits, including eight home runs as a sophomore. The left-handed hitter posted a .337 career batting average in 92 career games. Twice Russell was named to the Academic All-Region XI First-Team.
Ben Ryder- Alabama A&M University Bulldogs (NCAA Division I)
Ryder has been a consistent presence on the mound for the Bulldogs, appearing in 32 games over the last two seasons, including 14 this year. Ryder has logged 78.1 career innings. In 2015, Ryder has struck out 24 batters to just five walks.
Ryder made 29 appearances on the mound for the Tigers between 2012 and 2013, winning seven games and striking out 79 career batters. Ryder was a two-time NJCAA Exemplary Academic Achievement winner after posting a GPA of at least 3.65 each season.
William Salas- Graceland University Yellowjackets (NAIA)
In his first season as the Yellowjackets shortstop, Salas has provided a spark for the offense. The junior is batting .316 on the year, third-best on the team. His 114 at bats rank first and his 36 hits rank second. Salas' 18 stolen bases rank second in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC). Salas has started all but one game for the Yellowjackets this season.
Salas played two seasons for the Tigers, 2012 and 2013, and was a consistent presence at the plate and in the field. Over the course of 77 career games, Salas recorded 85 total hits for a lifetime .346 average. Salas scored 72 career runs, including a team-high 48 as a sophomore. Salas was a two-time All-Region XI selection, earning honorable mention honors as a freshman and was a first-team selection as a sophomore.
Andrew Utterback- Alabama A&M University Bulldogs (NCAA Division I)
Utterback is having one of the best post-MCC hitting careers in recent memory. The senior was named the SWAC Hitter of the Year in 2014 after posting a league-best .406 batting average, which ranked fifth in NCAA Division I. His slugging percentage and on-base percentage also led the league. In 2015, Utterback is batting .362 on the year with 46 hits, including 15 for extra bases. After hitting for the cycle on April 3, Utterback was named the SWAC Co-Player of the Week.
Utterback has also had success on the mound for the Bulldogs, appearing in 10 games this year with a 1.59 earned run average, striking out 20 batters in just 11.1 innings. Utterback's five saves lead the conference.
In 96 career games for the Tigers, Utterback recorded 84 total hits for a batting average of .301. Utterback was named a Second-Team All-Region XI selection following his sophomore season.
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