Rockies’ signee chosen as parish’s top male college athlete
, buddy@rustonleader.com
01-08-2008
Ask any Western Athletic
Conference pitcher which batter they feared the most during the 2007 season and
there’s a good chance the name of Brian Rike will pop up.After the kind of season he had, it was only natural for the guys who had to face him 60 feet and six inches away would put him on their Most Feared List.
The Louisiana Tech University outfielder put up monster numbers en route to being chosen as the Player of the Year in the league, being named for various postseason honors and chosen in the second round of the annual major league draft.
Rike batted .346 and led the conference in home runs (20), total bases (153), runs batted in (66) and runs scored (74).
His productivity played a key role in the Bulldogs compiling an overall record of 35-24, including a 22-11 slate at games held on their home turf of J.C. Love Field, and reaching the WAC postseason tournament with a league mark of 14-10.
Such numbers, success and contributions are also major factors in Rike being named as The Ruston Daily Leader college Male Athlete of the Year for Lincoln Parish.
He made his final season a memorable one in a Tech uniform, going from a relatively unknown walk-on out of the Texas prep ranks (Stephen F. Austin High) three years ago to one of the top players in the country during the 2007 season.
After being taken by the Colorado Rockies as the 72nd overall player in the June draft — he’s the earliest Tech player ever drafted — Rike signed a professional contract and spent the summer in the low A ranks (Tri-City of the Northwest League) while attracting rave reviews from franchise officials; a recent issue of Baseball America listed him as the most athletic prospect in the Rockies’ system.
“It was a great feeling when they (the Rockies) called and said they had drafted me,” Rike recalled. “My first reaction was one of just being happy, that I was being given this opportunity to do something I’ve always dreamed about. It’s every player’s dream of playing professionally, and now I have the chance and want to make the most of it.”
Rike received numerous honors following his last season with the ‘Dogs, ranging from that top award in the conference to being named to the first unit of the All-Louisiana team selected by members of the Louisiana Sports Writers Association to being recognized as one of the top players in the nation by Louisville Slugger, Collegiate Baseball, Baseball America and the American Baseball Coaches Association.
During one seven-day period last spring, Rike was announced for four different national honors.
The foundation for his super season might have very well been established in the summer of 2006 when he batted .370 and slammed five homers for Liberal, Kan., of the wooden bat Jayhawk League.
“You could see it a mile away when he came back in the fall and just dominated for us,” remembered Wade Simoneaux, head coach at Tech. “These guys, when they go to these good summer leagues, they mature and you could definitely see that Brian was going to have a big year for us.”
He didn’t disappoint.
From the get-go, Rike was a nightmare for opposing pitchers. When he wasn’t reaching the fences and flirting with becoming the new single season home run record holder at Tech, he was throwing out runners with his strong right arm in the outfield or lacing out a timely hit to keep a Bulldogs’ rally going.
“Lots of credit needs to go to Fran Andermann (batting coach) and David Szymanski (volunteer coach),” Simoneaux said. “Frank does a great job in helping our players with their batting and David helps out with conditioning. Brian improved from a 7.1 in the 60-yard dash after his sophomore year to 6.65 as a junior, which is unbelievable.”
Rike had 14 doubles and two triples to go with his 20 home runs and ended with 75 hits in 217 at bats in the spring.
He was also 16-of-18 in stolen bases and recorded a fielding percentage of .954 while totaling 96 putouts and eight assists.
His future is bright with a Rockies’ organization that has an abundance of young, talented players to keep their Cinderella success from the past season headed in the right direction.
Other Top Stories
