INDIANA, Pa. – First year IUP head baseball coach Steve Kline announced the addition of 16 student-athletes as part of his program's 2021 recruiting class. This group of future Crimson Hawks will arrive on campus this fall and be part of Kline's first squad in spring 2022.
 
Kline bolstered his first roster with 14 incoming student-athletes from high schools, including nine from Pennsylvania, three from Florida, and one each from Ohio and Maryland. He also brought in two transfers from Division I schools, one originally from New Jersey and the other from Pennsylvania.
 
The class consists of five outfielders, three catchers, three infielders, three utility players, and a pair of pitchers. Two expected positional players also have pitching experience.
 
Kline was announced as the IUP baseball coach in June, coming to Indiana after 15 seasons as a pitching coach in the San Francisco Giants organization. Kline pitched in the Major Leagues for 11 years, appearing in 796 games with five organizations.  
 
2021 IUP Recruiting Class
 
Patrick Apgar
RHP | 6-8, 235 | Little Egg Harbor, N.J. | Pineland Regional | Univ. of New Orleans

• 53rd-ranked player in New Jersey, 500th nationally (Perfect Game)
• Struck out 54 batters in 43.1 innings as a senior
• Had 2.26 ERA, .176 opponent batting average
• Originally signed with University of New Orleans; did not play in 2021 

Marcus Badzik
Infield/Outfield | 6-0, 195 | Ernest, Pa. | Marion Center

• Two-time Indiana All-Gazette selection
• 2021: .519 batting average, .653 on-base pct., 1.537 OPS, .885 slugging pct., four homers and 19 walks in 18 games

Damon Dowkus
Outfield | 5-11, 205 | Kulpmont, Pa. | Mount Carmel Area

• Daily Item player of the year
• First team all-area, All-PHAC, All-Press Enterprise

Dylan Ed
Catcher | 6-2, 165 | Gettysburg, Pa. | Gettysburg

• Originally a Barton College signee in 2020
• Three-year letterwinner at Gettysburg
• Two-time all-conference catcher (2018-19)
• Perfect Game Super25 national champion
• National Honor Society

David Ferroni
Catcher | 5-11, 180 | Mingo Junction, Ohio | Indiana Creek

• Also played for the Pittsburgh Diamond Dawgs

Drew Hildebrand
Outfield/LHP | 5-10, 180| Mechanicsburg, Pa. | Red Land

• 21st-ranked left-handed pitcher in Pennsylvania (Perfect Game)
• Played for 2019 state champion, 2021 state runner-up
• 2021 preseason All-American by Perfect Game

Austin Homer
Outfield | 6-0, 173 | Indiana, Pa. | Indiana Area

• Earned WPIAL all-section honors in 2021
• All-Indiana Gazette selection in 2019
• Three-year letterman

Peyton Johnson
Utility | 5-11, 180 | Lock Haven, Pa. | Central Mountain

• Part of two-time 5A District 6 champion

Davin Landers
Catcher | 5-11, 175 | Deland, Fla. | New Smyrna Beach

• 21st-ranked left-handed pitcher in Pennsylvania (Perfect Game)
• Played for 2019 state champion, 2021 state runner-up
• 2021 preseason All-American by Perfect Game

Au'sean Owens
Outfield | 5-7, 130 | Deland, Fla. | New Smyrna Beach

• Daytona Beach News-Journal all-area selection

Christopher Rosa
Outfield | 5-10, 167 | Harrisburg, Pa. | Bishop McDevitt

• 29th-ranked outfielder in Pennsylvania (Perfect Game)
• Two-time Perfect Game preseason All-American
• Mid-Penn Mid-Season All-Star (2021)
• First team Keystone Division, second team Mid-Penn all-conference in 2021

Andrew "HeMan" Schell
Infield | 5-9, 185 | Pierson, Fla. | New Smyrna Beach

• Two-time all-area Volusia County selection

Jimmy Tooley
LHP | height, weight | Horsham, Pa. | Hatboro-Horsham

• First team all-league pitcher, second team all-league outfielder in 2021
• 1.92 ERA with 72 strikeouts in 62 innings

Luke "Bubba" Weigel
First Base | 6-3, 215 | Lancaster, Pa. | Lampeter-Strasburg | La Salle Univ.

• Played in 24 games with 16 starts over two years at Division I La Salle
• Had three homers and a double in 70 at-bats
• Second team All-Lancaster Lebanon League as HS senior in 2018

Hunter White
RHP/Utility | 6-3, 205 | Williamsport, Md. | Williamsport

• Three-year varsity letterwinner
• Part of section finalist team as a sophomore in 2019

Braden Yard
First Base | 6-0, 225 | Saltsburg, Pa. | Saltsburg

• Gazette Player of the Year
• Led state in batting average (.632) and on-base percentage (.720) in 2021

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