WALLA WALLA, Wash. – The Walla Walla Sweets gained additional depth on their pitching staff today with the signing of Jesse Houser from Walla Walla Community College and Jacob Sanders from Murray State College. Houser and Sanders will join the Sweets for the upcoming season of West Coast League baseball starting in June of 2014.
Houser, a native of Kennewick, Washington, and graduate of Kamiakin High School, is a sophomore at Walla Walla Community College. The 5-foot 11-inch, 190-pound right handed pitcher, was a late season addition to the Sweets roster in 2013. Houser joined the team in July, making just five appearances and recording a 1.58 ERA. As a freshman at WWCC, Houser went 7-5 in 12 games with the Warriors, pitching 76 innings with 72 strikeouts and only 66 hits allowed. At the plate Houser hit .333 with six doubles, two triples, two home runs, and 17 RBI. He was named 1st-Team East Region Utility player and 2nd-Team All-NWAACC.
“I’ve become very familiar with Jesse, working with him the past year and a half at WWCC,” said Sweets manager J.C. Biagi. “He has a good fastball, but what really separates him is the quality and command of his off-speed stuff. I’m not sure what role he will play for us during the summer, but anticipate him contributing some really quality innings.”
Sanders, a 6-foot 2-inch, 175-pound, right handed pitcher is a native of Yakima, Washington. A graduate of A.C. Davis High School, Saunders is a freshman at Murray State College in Tishomingo, Oklahoma. During the summer of 2013 Sanders played for the Yakima Beetles, an American Legion team.
“Jacob has really developed over the past year and comes from one of the best junior colleges in the country,” added Biagi. “We’re looking forward to the added depth that he’ll provide to our staff.”
Houser, Sweets teammate Jarod Gonzales, and the WWCC Warriors will open the 2014 season of college baseball at home on March 1 against Calgary. On February 4, Sanders and the Aggies will open on the road against Vernon Junior College in Vernon, Texas.
