Umatilla’s Lucroy gives verbal commitment

[NewsCopy]

Pitcher will attend Louisiana

The baseball pipeline from Lake County to the University of Louisiana gained another member last Friday when Umatilla senior Jeremy Lucroy verbally committed to the school.

Lucroy will join his first cousin, Jonathan, a former standout at Umatilla High School, and former East Ridge High School standout Buddy Glass, who are freshmen on the Ragin’ Cajuns baseball team.

“I’m happy, and it’s a relief and I am glad that I got the offer I did,” Lucroy said. “I definitely am looking forward to it.”

Lucroy, a 6-foot, 185-pound right-handed pitcher, said he chose Louisiana over Stetson, Western Carolina and the University of South Florida because ULL offered him a “good-sized scholarship.”

He also said ULL offered the field of study, electrical engineering, he wanted to pursue.

“It is a little away from home, so it will be a different experience to go out there,” said Lucroy, who will sign a letter of intent in November. “It’s a nice school, and they have a good baseball program that is building up.”

Lucroy said it will be an added bonus that his cousin, Jonathan, and Glass will be at ULL with him. He said he has spoken to both players about the school and the baseball program, and both have told him head coach Tony Robichaux, who also serves as the team’s pitching coach, “knows what he is doing.”

As a sophomore, Lucroy was 5-4 with a 1.78 earned run average and 61 strikeouts in 55 innings.

Umatilla coach Terry Nuzum said Lucroy may not have as much success statistically as a junior this past season, but he said Lucroy has continued to develop as a pitcher.

“He has good stuff and can get up into the high 80s,” Nuzum said. “He has a good curveball and a good change-up. It is a matter of him getting ahead of the hitters.”

The rest of the story
ADAM MINICHINO
Daily Commercial

[Turbine]

Cool! With Buddy Glass, and Jon Lucroy already in uniform, UL is fast becomeing Umatilla's west ridge.

Perhaps with the addition of Jeremy, the friends and family from East Ridge High can charter a flight to see some Ragin Cajun baseball.

[cajuncrazee]

Jeremy is an awesome pitcher. He'll do great for UL. There will be a bunch of Florida folks showing up all over to watch the Cajuns.

[Crawfish]

"There will be a bunch of Florida folks showing up all over to watch the Cajuns"

Hope ya'll won't mind a couple of flights to Omaha in early summers

[cajuncrazee]

Fish

We might need to change planes, but nothing would make us happier.

[Dad04]

Lucroy's choice all relative
Like his cousin, Umatilla's star pitcher commits to Louisiana-Lafayette.
By Joe Williams
Sentinel Staff Writer

October 15, 2004

UMATILLA -- Cousins, teammates and batterymates will be reunited in college next year with Umatilla pitcher Jeremy Lucroy's recent commitment to play baseball for the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.

Lucroy will join his cousin, former Umatilla catcher Jonathan Lucroy, on the Ragin' Cajuns along with former East Ridge pitcher Buddy Glass. Both Jonathan Lucroy and Glass are freshmen who signed with Louisiana-Lafayette last November. Jeremy is expected to sign with the Ragin' Cajuns during the NCAA's signing period this coming November.

"It was the best choice I had out of the options that I had," Jeremy Lucroy said. "Jonathan being out there entered into my decision to go out there. I talked to him on a regular basis before I made my decision."

Lucroy went to visit Louisiana-Lafayette last month. He also had visited Stetson and had a visit set up with Western Carolina but canceled after making his decision. He also was considering the University of South Florida.

Umatilla Coach Terry Nuzum said he stayed out of Jeremy Lucroy's decision-making process.

"We talked a little bit, but not a lot," Nuzum said. "I think with Jeremy going out there, what made him comfortable was having his relative out there."

Lucroy, a right-hander, had a tremendous sophomore season as a high school pitcher, throwing a no-hitter in his first start against one of Central Florida's traditional baseball powers, Bishop Moore. Lucroy won the game 11-0. He then struck out 12 batters in a 2-0 no-hitter against Tavares and also added a no-hitter in a 14-0 victory over Wildwood.

All totaled, Lucroy threw three no-hitters in his sophomore season and finished with a 5-4 record, a 1.78 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 55 innings.

This past season Lucroy found himself usually facing the aces of the opponents' pitching staff and was on the mound in most of Umatilla's big games. Nuzum said he had a 2-5 record last spring.

But Lucroy, who is 6 feet and weighs 185 pounds, rebounded with good performances this summer and fall pitching for the Orlando Scorpions, an 18-and-under scout team.

"I have seen Jeremy pitch for the last five years," said Nuzum, who took over Umatilla's baseball program last year. "He has come a long ways. He has a good live arm and a good breaking pitch. I think it is a matter of him having to locate his pitches and working ahead of hitters.

"I think going into his senior year, he just needs to work ahead on strikes a little more. I think one of his problems last year was that he was often working behind in the count."

Though Lucroy may have solidified his college future a couple of months before throwing the first pitch in his senior high school season, Lucroy is not going into this season satisfied with the rewards he already has gained

"I want to stay healthy, get my arm in shape and, hopefully, get some pro scouts looking at me and maybe have a shot at getting drafted this year," Lucroy said.

Orlando Sentinel Article

[BonCajun]

The link doesn't work is this the whole article? I hope Jeremy Lucroy has a fantastic season, but not so good that the last sentence comes true.

[Dad04]

That's the entire article. Free registration is required to link.

[Turbine]

Thanks Dad04 I am geeked about the Umatilla connection and I hope Jeremy has a breakout year.

Even if he gets drafted out of High school the University of Louisiana will get some good pub.

ps If you get some pictures during the season it would be fun if you uploaded a few. (500 pixels wide max) Thanks

[Dad04]

Not that I know anymore than anyone else, but even if he is drafted, there's no guarentee he turns pro.

I'll try to keep you updated as he goes.

[Turbine]

Originally posted by SunGrasses
Jeremy Lucroy signed his NLI at 1:30 PM today.

FAN-tastic!

[Dad04]

That's very cool! Good Luck Jeremy!!