AUGUSTA, Ga. – Augusta State head baseball coach announced Monday the signing of a pair of high school pitchers to national letters-of-intent. The duo will join the Jaguar baseball program for the Fall, 2009 semester.

Josh Barks, a 6-2, 206-pound right-handed pitcher from Adel, Ga., posted a 6-2 record for Cook High School as a junior in 2008. He had a 1.15 ERA and recorded 78 strikeouts in only 55 innings pitched. Banks was a Region 1-AA All-Region selection as well as an All-Area selection by the Tifton Gazzette. He helped lead the Hornets to the Region 1-AA Championship and to the Class AA Final Four.

“Josh is a hard-throwing righty with three quality pitches,” Fite said. “His fastball has been clocked in the upper 80’s and he’s an excellent student with excellent character. He’ll have the opportunity to step right in and be very good pitcher for us a freshman.”

Scott Shipman, a 5-11, 165-pound righthander from Marvin Ridge High School in Waxbox, N.C., was an All-State selection as a junior in 2008 and named the Conference Player-of-the-Year. He went 10-1 with a 1.76 ERA and registered 90 strikeouts in just 70 innings.

“Scott has a fastball in the mid-80’s with a big-time curve and changeup. He can throw all three pitches for strikes at any time. He’s a 4.0 student and has excellent character. Scott will have an opportunity to pitch a lot early in his career. His breaking pitch is already above average for a college pitcher.”

The Jaguars open the 2009 season on Sunday, Feb. 1 vs. Carson-Newman at Lake Olmstead Stadium.