Clark signs to play baseball for Barton County

Clark signs to play baseball for Barton County
The Barton County Community College baseball program kept it local ties in tact Wednesday when they signed another Great Bend High School product in Brooks Clark. Clark, a senior at Great Bend, transferred this year from Lyons High School.

Clark hit .512 with 36 RBI and 4 home runs last season for Lyons. The slick fielding 2nd baseman fielded .950 for the Lions. He decided to go to school at Great Bend this season to move up and face a higher level of competition.

The past two seasons Clark has been named 1st team All-MCAA and was a 1st team All-State selection in Class 3A last year.

"I wanted to step up a level of competition to prepare me more for college baseball," Clark said. "I knew a lot of the kids at Great Bend already. Every since I was little I wanted to play college baseball and now I am going to get that opportunity after my season here."

Barton County Coach Mike Warren said he expects Clark to make an immediate impact next season.

"I feel real fortunate to have him," Coach Warren said. "He is someone who can come in and play right away. I think he has an opportunity to go a long way in college baseball and I am glad he decided to come to our program. He played at a high level during the summer and showed what he is capable of."

During this past summer Clark played for the Wichita Hitmen, an 18-under team traveling baseball team. Playing in tournaments in such places as Denver, Omaha, Cleveland, and Albuquerque, Clark hit .402 with 5 homers and 54 RBI.

Clark also played for the Wichita Sluggers this fall, a select team of prep players that plays against community colleges in the state during the fall season. Clark and Sluggers faced Barton County this season with Clark going 2-for-3 in the contest and driving in a run.

Clark became very interested in the Barton County baseball program this past Fall when he attended a baseball camp at the University of Nebraska. Barton Assistant Coach Jay Sirianni, a former player for Nebraska, was at the camp helping and the two got to know each other.

"I have known Coach Warren for a while," Clark said. "When I went to the camp at Nebraska, I met Coach Sirianni and decided then that Barton was the place I wanted to play. I hadn't really talked to anyone else about playing college baseball. I was playing 3A baseball and wasn't getting a lot of looks."

Lyons finished 16-4 last season, falling in the first round of the Regionals to Hillsboro. This season at Great Bend he will join a team that finished 22-2 last season, falling in the first round of the Class 5A state tournament to Salina South.

"I am awfully happy to have him this year," Great Bend Coach Jeff Langrehr said. "I think it is great that Brooks has this opportunity to play for Barton County."