Govs add Patterson to 2012 pitching staff

APSU Sports: Men’s Baseball

Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University’s baseball team continued its recruiting efforts for the upcoming 2012 campaign, adding pitcher Taylor Patterson, of Chatsworth, GA, who signed a national letter of intent, Monday.

Patterson, a 6-5 200-pound right-handed pitcher, was 6-2 with a 3.45 ERA for Murray County High School last season. He compiled 77 strikeouts while limiting opponents to a .187 batting average over 47.0 innings pitched.

“Taylor is the product of an outstanding high school program,” said Govs head coach Gary McClure. “He has an excellent pitcher’s body with a slender build we believe will allow him to develop a lot more physically throughout his college career. We wanted to sign another high school pitcher, but only if we felt he was a guy that could make an immediate impact on our pitching staff. Taylor already throws his fastball from 86-90 mph and has a very loose and quick arm with what we consider to be an excellent slider especially for his age. The state of Georgia is one of the top states in the country for high school baseball, so we know he has been tested at a high level both in high school games and in travel ball.”

A superior all-round athlete, Patterson was a three-sport athlete at Murray County and was named all-state twice in baseball and once in basketball. In his final basketball campaign, he averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds per game – an effort that delayed his return to the mound when the Indians reached the second round of the Class AAA state playoffs.