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It might only be a week until the Wilmington
Sharks open up with a new season of Coastal Plain League action, but
that hasn’t stopped them from continuing to solidify their roster with
a core group of key players.
The Sharks went to the west coast to sign two from San Jose State University. Ryan Vander Tuig, a 6-6, 205-pound right-handed pitcher out of Oakdale, CA, completed a solid season with the 31-23 Spartans making 11 appearances with one start, compiling 26 innings pitched, 16 strikeouts, with a 3.46 ERA.
 During his four-year prep career at Oakdale High School, Vander Tuig compiled numerous honors. He was Most Valuable Player of the Valley Oak League and was selected to Cal-Hi Sports’ All-State baseball team as a senior going 4-2 with 47 strikeouts in 37 innings while posting a 2.82 ERA. Also during his senior season, he was an All-District honoree, threw a no-hitter against Manteca High School with 10 strikeouts on May 4, 2007, and helped lead Oakdale to their first conference championship in their history.
As a junior in 2006, Vander Tuig earned All-League honors going 7-0 with a 3.04 ERA.
Joining Vander Tuig with the Sharks is teammate Ryan Shopshire. Shopshire just finished his first season with San Jose State going 5-2 in 16 appearances (four starts) with a complete game shutout. He racked up 38 innings with 34 strikeouts, 22 walks, and a team-leading three saves.
Previously, Shopshire played his 2006-07 seasons with Orange Coast College out of Costa Mesa, CA. As one of four starting pitchers named to the All-Orange Empire Conference Second-Team as a sophomore, Shopshire went 4-2 with a 3.15 ERA, tossing 71.1 innings with two complete games and striking out 48. Opponents hit a paltry .203 against the hard-throwing righty.
During the 2004-05 seasons, Shopshire was redshirted with Long Beach State.
For Orange Lutheran High School, Shopshire earned four varsity letters in baseball, First-Team All-CIF Southern Section, First-Team All-Trinity League, and team MVP honors as a senior while going 8-3 with a 2.18 ERA, striking out 104 in 79.1 innings. As a sophomore and junior, Shopshire earned Second-Team All-League.
He is currently majoring in sociology.
With two weeks go to before the season, you’ll soon be able to watch Ryan Vander Tuig, Ryan Shopshire, and others while they represent the Wilmington Sharks on the field. For ticket information, call the Sharks office at (910) 343-5621 or visit our Web site at www.wilmingtonsharks.com.
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