Cedarville Magazine
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SPORTS
Athletes Honored
Yellow Jacket Club Athletes of the Year
Congratulations to these outstanding
athletes, recognized at the April 15, 2013,
Honors and Appreciation Banquet.
Yellow Jacket Club Athletes of theYear
Matt Brooker ’14: cross country/track
and field (Pictured left)
Kelsey Wilson ’14: softball (Pictured right)
In late March, Brooker set a school
record in the 10K finishing under 30
minutes at the University of Cincinnati
Open. Brooker was also named the NCAA
Division II Midwest Region Cross Country
Runner of the Year and the G-MAC Male
Athlete of the Year.
As a junior, Wilson already holds the
school records for runs, hits, RBIs, and total
bases. She became the first Lady Jacket to
be named to the NCCAAAll-America First
Team two years in a row, and she has been
ranked in the NCAA Division II top 30 in
batting average and stolen bases.
Dave Jones Memorial Soccer Award
Deanne Bradshaw ’14
Timmy Waller ’14
Dr. andMrs. DuaneWoodFamilyAward
Timmy Waller ’14
Pete and Joyce Reese Award
Erica Bartholomew ’13: volleyball
Steve Ellis ’13: soccer
Don and Nedra Callan
Sports Ministry Award
Daniel Hickman ’13: basketball
Melissa Stoltzfus ’13: tennis
David Ledbetter ’14 became the first
Yellow Jacket player in 26 years to be
selected in the 2013 Major League Baseball
First-Year Player Draft. He was chosen by
the Texas Rangers in the third round as the
99th pick overall.
“This is an incredible opportunity, and
I’m super blessed,” he said.
But there was more good news to come.
The Rangers also drafted his twin brother,
Ryan Ledbetter ’14, in the 19th round.
The Fishers, Indiana, brothers are both
pitchers. David posted a 6-5 record with a
3.15 ERA this spring as the Great Midwest
Athletic Conference (G-MAC) Pitcher of
the Year. The 6-foot-1-inch, 185-pound,
right-handed junior led NCAA Division II
in strikeouts per 9 innings at 13.65. With 20
victories in his three years with the Yellow
Jackets, he shares Cedarville’s all-time wins
record with three other pitchers.
Ryan was 6-3 this spring with a team-
leading 3.05 ERA. He struck out 59 batters
in 56.0 innings while being voted to the
G-MAC First Team. Ryan did not pitch
his freshman season following Tommy
John surgery, but in his next two years at
Cedarville, he went 10-4 with a 3.16 ERA.
Ledbetter Twins Drafted by Texas Rangers
As the team’s closer in 2012, he posted a
4-1 record with six saves and a 3.34 ERA.
“This means a lot to our program to
have one of our players selected in the Top
100,” said Cedarville’s Head Coach, Mike
Manes. Despite losing two quality pitchers
to the draft, Manes remarked, “I’m not sure
it’s ever happened where twin brothers have
been drafted by the same team in the same
year. It will be a great experience for them
to both get a chance with the Rangers.”
Both brothers are grateful for their
experience at Cedarville. “It meant
everything for me to play at Cedarville,”
said David. “It’s more than just baseball —
we’re here to represent Christ in our life and
in our game.”
Ryan called his Cedarville career a
one-of-a-kind experience. “I wouldn’t be
where I am without Cedarville,” he said. “I
appreciate the guidance the school gave me,
especially from a spiritual perspective.”
The Ledbetters reported to Texas in
June for assignments in the Rangers’ minor
league system. David joined the Spokane
Indians, the Rangers’ Class A short season
affiliate. Ryan joined the AZL Rangers, their
rookie team in the Arizona League.
Identical twins David ’14 and Ryan Ledbetter ’14 were drafted in June by the Texas Rangers.
Photo: Mike Hartsock, WHIO–TV
