The Perfect Timing Collegiate baseball league will complete its third season with its all-star game today at Veterans Park in Rogers.
The four-team league includes about 90 players -- some recently graduated high school seniors -- mostly from Northwest Arkansas. Coaches of each team selected two 17-member all-star teams to showcase the top players in the league. The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a home run derby, followed by the game. Admission is free.
Collegiate League All-Stars
Team Vinson/Lisi
Player^College
Ryne McDonald^Kansas City (Kan.) CC
Jackson Field^Connors State
Brandon Still^Kansas City (Kan.) CC
Jacob Richardson^Southern Arkansas
Denver Coffee^Seminole (Okla.) State
Carson Johnson^Connors State
Zach Stanley^Labette (Kan.) Comm. College
Braden Mabry^Independence Comm. College
Paul Rouse^Central Arkansas
Phillip Cebuhar^Undecided
Darrin Pittman^Arkansas-Fort Smith
Gavin Heltemes^Coffeyville Comm. College
Collin Ogilvie^Arkansas-Fort Smith
Connor Mangham^Arkansas-Fort Smith
Macauley Sams^Undecided
Harrison Heffley^Arkansas
Tyler Gibson^Undecided
Adam Richardson^Carl Albert
Team McKenzie/Reed
Player^College
Dylan Thurber^Carl Albert
Spencer Lloyd^Independence
Kory Pollard^Eastern Oklahoma
Josh Lantzch^Ouachita Baptist
Tanner Wiley^Eastern Oklahoma State
Josh Stephens^Labette (Kan.) Comm. College
Brice Smith^Eastern Oklahoma State
Chase Kilgore^Pittsburg State
Tyler Blackston^Independence Comm. College
Chris Pardun^Undecided
R.J. Gaines^Vernon College
Matt Sherry^Harding
Logan Gragg^Connors State
Shaun Troutman^Central Oklahoma
Adam Scoggins^Crowder College
Michael King^Northeastern Okla. A&M
Connor Sturgess^Undecided
"Last year, we had four guys from California, but this year the farthest away kids are from are the Springfield/Joplin area or eastern Oklahoma," said former Arkansas player Matt Vinson, who coaches one of the teams and runs the league. "Ninety-five percent of the players are from right around here. We have a team out of Fort Smith, last year we had teams from Tulsa."
The league's talent has improved over time, Vinson said.
"We've started to begin to get better quality pitching," Vinson said. "The biggest thing is trying to get good pitching and in return, you get better position players."
Vinson pointed out former Springdale Har-Ber standout Zach Stanley and Bentonville graduate Paul Rouse have excelled, along with pitchers Darrin Pittman from Farmington, who is playing at Arkansas-Fort Smith, and recent Rogers Heritage grad Macauley Sams, who had no offers to play until the summer.
"He's done really well," Vinson said. "He's been mid-80s with a good breaking ball. Centenary offered him, but he wanted to go the junior college route."
-- Paul Boyd • @NWAPaulB
Sports on 07/14/2016