Featured Rookie - Jake Lewis

Featured Rookie - Jake Lewis

Maryville, Mo. - Today's featured rookie is Jake Lewis. Jake is from Council Bluff, Iowa, and transferred to Northwest from Indian Hills Community College. The Junior stands 6'00" and weighs 205 lbs. Jake bats left-handed and throws right-handed. He has played mostly first base or catcher for the Bearcats this season. Jake is my kind of ball player. The guy reminds me of baseball players in the '80s when opponents weren't so buddy-buddy on the bases. Jake has no interest in striking up conversation with the opponent at first base. Frankly, it looks like he is angry the opponent is standing on his base. That is my kind of guy. He doesn't talk a lot but it looks like he could tussle at any moment should the opponent say the wrong word. I seriously think Jake would run through a wall if you asked him to do it. Here is how I imagine the conversation would go:

Coach - Jake, the team needs you to run through a wall.

Jake - With or without a batting helmet?

Coach - Without.

Pause...rumble-rumble-rumble [SLAM]

Jake is an Outdoorsman. Avid hunter. I imagine he could fix an emergency splint 5 miles in a forest as well as he throws out runners attempting to steal a base. Jake also knows he way around a grill and can fire-up the tastiest treats with any protein your heart desires - geese, duck, beef, chicken, fish. Heck, I'm willing to bet Jake can take kidney beans and make them taste like a KC Strip. The B2R does not throw around the word - Tailgate legend - often, but Jake is the kind of guy I want playing catcher, in a fox hole, in a dark alley, at a tailgate, and anywhere else with me on my team.

So far in 2016, Jake is batting .253, appeared and started 25 games (out of a possible 26), 79 at bats, 15 runs scored, 20 hits, 5 doubles, 1 home run, 14 RBIs, .354 slugging %, 10 walks, hit by a pitch 4 times, 10 strike-outs, .362 on-base percentage, 3 stolen bases in 7 attempts, and a .993 fielding percentage.

So, if you see a guy wearing #22 for Northwest with the steely-eye look that would make John Wayne jealous at the baseball field, that is Jake Lewis, and I am glad he is a Bearcat.

Bearcat Nation, I introduce - Jake Lewis.

Go Cats!!
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