Three more Thunderbirds fly to Okotoks

Friday December 30, 2011

(Photo: Jerod Bartnik, Team Canada 2010)

After signing four pitchers from the University of British Columbia, the Dawgs and Thunderbirds have partnered again, as three UBC position players will be coming to Okotoks in the summer of 2012.

Kevin Biro is a 6’, 195 lb infielder from Deep Bay, BC. A freshman at UBC, Biro is a product of the BCPBL, playing for the Parksville Royals from 2009 to 2011. In 45 games with the Royals in 2011, Kevin hit .370 with 3 homeruns, 25 RBI, and 16 stolen bases.

Biro has represented both his province and his country in recent years. He was a member of Team Canada’s Junior National Team in 2009, and suited up for British Columbia at the 2009 and 2010 Canada Cup tournaments, winning gold both years.

Jerod Bartnik is a 6’1’’, 215 lb outfielder from Surrey, BC who is also a freshman at UBC. Bartnik is a veteran of the BCPBL, having played 2 years for the White Rock Tritons before spending his grade 11 and 12 years with the Langley Blaze .

Jerod joined Kevin Biro at the 2009 and 2010 Canada Cup tournaments with British Columbia, and also has experience with Team Canada. Bartnik was selected to the Junior National Team in the spring of 2010 and spent a year on the team.

James Stewart is a 5’10’’, 165 lb outfielder from Calgary, AB, who is familiar to the Dawgs organization, as he is a 2010 graduate of the Okotoks Dawgs Academy. He spent 5 years as a JDawg after joining at age 13.

Stewart played a major role in some major accomplishments for the Dawgs Academy in recent years. Some of the more notable wins Stewart was a part of include winning the 2010 Parksville BC Invitational, 2010 Provincial Champions, Arizona Fall Classic Champions, and winning silver at the 2011 National Championship.

James played center field for Team Alberta at the 2010 Canada Cup, helping Alberta to a bronze medal.

Dawgs Head Coach, Brandon Newell on the 3 position players and 4 pitchers added to the Dawgs roster from the UBC Thunderbirds in recent days,

“UBC continues to be one of the top NAIA baseball programs in North America, and we are very excited to have this quality crop of Thunderbird players joining us this summer. Coach McKaig does a great job of recruiting every year, and to get some of UBC’s best players to come to Okotoks this summer will enhance our already solid roster. We are getting a good combination of starting pitching, relievers, solid hitters, and quality defenders."