Reid, Parsley chosen for all-star game

The individual benefits for many of the Western Nevada Community College baseball players from the program's team success are already beginning to be seen.

Two players - Andrew Reid and Logan Parsley - have been chosen to play in the National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association Freshman All-Star Series. Meanwhile, many of WNCC's sophomore players are receiving increased interest from four-year schools as a result of the team advancing to the NJCAA World Series. WNCC will begin play in the World Series at 6:30 p.m. Saturday when it plays Delgado Community College of New Orleans.

Reid and Parsley will play for the West when it meets the East in three all-star games to be play on June 15 and 16 at the USA Baseball Stadium in Millington, Tenn.

"It's awesome," said WNCC coach D.J. Whittemore about the honor for Parsley and Reid. "They certainly are great players, but I'm not sure they get this opportunity if the team's not doing so well. These guys are benefitting from the success of the team getting recognized nationally."

Reid is hitting .371 with one home run and 25 RBI overall for the season. That's an outstanding average considering Reid used woodbats for most of the year.

Reid was even better in Scenic West Athletic Conference play in which he hit .400 and was named to the all-conference first team. Parsley is hitting .247 with three homers and 17 RBI.

On Tuesday, Whittemore said he received at least 10 e-mails in the last 24 hours from four-year schools concerning his sophomore players. Among the players who are receiving interest are Brad Carlsen, Thomas Miller and Kyle Bondurant.

"Carlsen's obviously a hot commodity the way he's swinging the bat," Whittemore said.

Among the Division I schools who have contacted WNCC are Arizona State, West Alabama and George Washington. Mesa State in Grand Junction, Colo., where the NJCAA World Series is being played has been another school who has contacted WNCC along with NAIA power Lewis and Clark State of Idaho and NAIA schools Albertsons and Iowa's William Penn. Pitcher Jeremy Joustra is receiving interest from New Mexico State.

Whittemore said the World Series appearance should also help in his recruiting of future players. "I believe it will help tremendously," he said.