2012 CONTACT INFO

2012 Preseason News & Info

2012 Railroaders arrive in Fulton and prepare for Hoppers.   

(May 31, 2012)  The players arrived in town yesterday.  New Manager Albert Destrade wasted no time in organizing the team and began by speaking to the players about his expectations for 2012.  Fulton can expect a strong effort to repeat a championship season..  After team owners briefed the players, berthing assignments were secured, uniforms past out and roster pictures were taken.  Manager Destrade, along with assistant coaches Ricky Gerena and Matt Hochstatter, began working the players on the field.  Fulton has top talent throughout the roster for the 2012season.  Destrade is working quickly to put together an effective lineup for Friday's opening season game against the Hoptown Hoppers.  Practice continues today and the team will be ready for tomorrow's game.  First pitch for Friday's game is scheduled for 7:05 pm.  On Saturday the Railroaders remain home hosting the Owensboro Oilers, on Sunday will travel to Owensboro. 

Season set to begin this Friday.  (May 26, 2012)  The 2012 Season opens this coming Friday, June 1 at Home with the Railroaders hosting the Hoptown Hoppers from Hopkinsville with the first pitch scheduled at 7:05 pm.  On Saturday, June 2 the Railroaders remain home to play the Owensboro Oilers with a 7:05 start.  All home games for Fulton will be broadcasted live over the Internet on TeamLine and can be accessed via the TeamLine banner link above.

This year's baseball season in the Ohio Valley League features 5 teams with a 40 game schedule for each.  Post Season Playoffs will consist of one single playoff game for the # 4 & # 5 seeded teams, and two best of 3 series between the top 4 teams. Visit the OVL website for more information and links to all the teams' websites.  Join the Railroaders on Facebook and Hoghead Blog for more off the field information and comments.

New Head Coach to lead Railroaders.  (April 24, 2012)  Originally from Miami, FL, coach Albert Destrade has established himself as one of the top up and coming coaches in south Florida. A 2003 graduate from Florida Christian High, Destrade was an All Miami-Dade county selection for a squad that finished #13 nationally according to Baseball America.  Following a stellar prep career Destrade moved on to play three season at NCAA Division II powerhouse Lynn University. During his time at Lynn, the Fighting Knights amassed two seasons of 35+ wins in addition to an NCAA regional appearance in 2006.  In 2007, Destrade accepted a scholarship to complete his college playing career with Ohio Valley conference school University of Tennessee at Martin.  While at Martin, Destrade completed his undergraduate studies with a Bachelor's degree.

Coach Destrade has coached baseball at Plantation High School since 2008. In 2010, at age 24, he was promoted to Head Coach becoming the youngest Head Baseball coach in South Florida at the time. In just three years as Head Coach at Plantation, the Colonels have gone from a 4 win club in 2010, to being a top 15 ranked team in 2012;  while sporting the program's first winning season since 2004.

In the fall of 2011, Destrade appeared on the CBS reality series "Survivor". The series places 18 castaways on a remote island, all vying for the chance to win a million dollars. Destrade advanced all the way to the Final 3, finishing the 2nd runner-up on the season. 

Fulton and the Railroaders extend a warm welcome to Albert, and look forward to an exciting season of baseball with him at the helm.

Second Assistant Coach for Railroaders.  (May 24, 2012)  Matt Hochstatter from Somonauk IL joins the 2012 crew as the second assistant coach.  The two time all-conference high school pitcher and 3rd baseman is currently working on his master's degree in management at the University of Wisconsin in Whitewater.  Hochstatter received a full scholarship at Illinois Valley Community College where he completed an associate's degree in business.  He learned his bachelor's degree in business entrepreneurship from the University of Wisconsin Whitewater, and has assisted in Warhawk Baseball Camps for pitching/hitting/fielding.  Railroaders coaching staff is now complete as the team begins to arrive next week to prepare for Friday's, June 1, opening night in Fulton against the Hoptown Hoppers.

Assistant Coach on board for 2012.  (May 23, 2012)  Ricky Gerena from Coral Springs FL is set to help coach the Railroaders.  A graduate of Lynn University, Gerena was the starting shortstop at Division II level for 3 years.  He also played shortstop for 2 years of semi-pro ball in the Pacific South West and West Coast Leagues.  He was the head coach of the 2009 Florida Premier League Champion Trojans, and awarded MVP Athlete for Taravella High School in 2004 where he was the Golden Glove recipient for Broward County.  He is currently the Taravella Varsity Assistant Head Coach.  Gerena joins manager Albert Destrade to lead the Railroaders in the 2012 season. 

Railroaders add 2 more players.  (May 21, 2012)  Murray State freshmen and catcher Rick Linton joins Fulton for 2012. At 5'8" and 160 lbs, Linton is was four year letter winner at Muncie Central High School.  He earned first-team all conference honors as a senior after hitting .451 with 11 home runs, 25 RBIs and 33 runs scored.  He set a new single-season record for home runs, and also holds career record for hits (144) and runs scored (116). He earned first team all conference honors as a sophomore and junior, hitting .424 as a junior after hitting .409 as a sophomore. 

Also from Murray State, Tyler Saltsman is added to the Railroaders' pitching core.  He is sophomore right-hander standing 6' 2" and weighs 220 lbs.  In 2011, Saltsman made 13 appearances on the mound, with two coming in a starting role.  He got the starts against Kentucky and Evansville...went 1-1 with a 6.65 ERA and one save...fanned 13 in 23 innings.  He.threw 1.2 innings of shutout ball in collegiate debut against Arkansas State, and allowed just one hit over two innings in the start against UK.  He appeared in both games of the doubleheader against Tennessee Tech, earning a win and a save...earned the win in one-third of an inning in the opener, then retired the only hitter he faced in the second game of the doubleheader.

Railroaders bring Roster to 24.  (May 19, 2012)  Fulton has added 2 more players to the 2012 roster, both from Broward College in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.  The first is sophomore Seth Marcus a right handed pitcher standing 6'0" and 195 lbs.  His hometown is New Brunswick NJ and has played third base his entire life until switching to pitcher last season and now features a fastball, change-up and a curveball.  The second player to sign from Broward is Brandon Shaw, a 6' 0" freshman and utility player.  His hometown is Cooper City FL.  Both of these players were recruited by new Railroader manager Albert Destrade,  With 24 men now on the roster the Railroaders for ready for 2012 to begin on Friday, June 1 at Lohaus Field in Fulton.

Lefty Christopher Flores joins Fulton.  (May 17, 2012)  The Railroaders signed lefthander Christopher Flores and add to the pitching ranks.  Flores also plays first base, standing 6'4" and weighing in at 180 lbs.  He hails from Southwest Ranches, FL and attended Chaminade-Madonna College Prep school where he posted a 7 wins 6 lost record with a 2.23 ERA in 74 innings.  Chris will attend UT Martin this coming fall.  

Jack Henry Jones returns to play in Fulton.  (May 1, 2012)  The first Fulton Bulldog alumni to wear the Railroaders Orange and Brown is Jack Henry Jones.  Returning home from his freshman year at Covenant College, Jones is slotted to play the outfield for the Railroaders.  The left handed and switch hitting Jones stands 5'10" and weighs in at 165 lbs. 

New Head Coach to lead Railroaders.  (April 24, 2012)  Originally from Miami, FL, coach Albert Destrade has established himself as one of the top up and coming coaches in south Florida. A 2003 graduate from Florida Christian High, Destrade was an All Miami-Dade county selection for a squad that finished #13 nationally according to Baseball America.  Following a stellar prep career Destrade moved on to play three season at NCAA Division II powerhouse Lynn University. During his time at Lynn, the Fighting Knights amassed two seasons of 35+ wins in addition to an NCAA regional appearance in 2006.  In 2007, Destrade accepted a scholarship to complete his college playing career with Ohio Valley conference school University of Tennessee at Martin.  While at Martin, Destrade completed his undergraduate studies with a Bachelor's degree.

Coach Destrade has coached baseball at Plantation High School since 2008. In 2010, at age 24, he was promoted to Head Coach becoming the youngest Head Baseball coach in South Florida at the time. In just three years as Head Coach at Plantation, the Colonels have gone from a 4 win club in 2010, to being a top 15 ranked team in 2012;  while sporting the program's first winning season since 2004.

In the fall of 2011, Destrade appeared on the CBS reality series "Survivor". The series places 18 castaways on a remote island, all vying for the chance to win a million dollars. Destrade advanced all the way to the Final 3, finishing the 2nd runner-up on the season. 

Fulton and the Railroaders extend a warm welcome to Albert, and look forward to an exciting season of baseball with him at the helm.  

Railroaders add more pitching.  (April 23, 2012)  Michael Alvey joins the 2012 Fulton roster adding yet another right-handed pitcher.  He is a sophomore from St. Catherine College and his hometown is Upton, KY.  Alvey is 6'1" and weighs 210 lbs.  The Railroaders now have 21 players signed for the upcoming season.

Another RHP joins the 2012 Railroaders.  (April 19, 2012)  Cory Klinger, a sophomore from St. Catherine College, has signed on the 2012 Fulton roster.  The right-handed pitcher stands 6'0" and weighs 185.  Cory's hometown is Rushsylvania, Ohio where is attended Benjamin Logan High School.  Klinger brings the Railroader's roster to a total of 20 players for 2012.

Georgetown sends two Pitchers.  (April 7, 2012)  Fulton has picked up 2 more right handed pitchers from Georgetown University.  Both players, Jordan Nekola and Casey Tiller, are freshman and stand 6' 1".  Nekola weighs in at 185 lbs. while Tiller tops at at 225.  Tiller is from Danville, KY and Nekola's hometown is Belleville, IL.  These additions to the roster bring the total to 19 players signed. 

Daniel Szathmary to pitch for Fulton in 2012.  (March 30, 2012)  Former Marion Bobcat right-hander Daniel Szathmary has signed with the Railroaders for the 2012 season.  Szathmary stands at 6'2" & weighs in at  210 lbs. and a Sophomore at Chattahoochee Valley Community College.  His hometown is Suwanee, Georgia.  In 2011, Daniel had a 2-1 record and 1 save for Marion.  He joins former teammate Garrett Hunt as the 2nd Bobcat to switch to the Railroaders, bringing the 2012 Fulton roster total to 17 players.

Railroaders add 2nd Catcher to 2012 Roster.  (March 23, 2012)  The Railroaders have received a contract from Alex Huddleston, a 6'2", 210 lb. freshman catcher from Cleveland State Community College.  He hits and bats right handed.  Alex is the son of Fulton High graduate Wesley Huddleston.  Wesley and his family now live in Summertown, TN.  The 2012 Roster now stands at 16 total.

Eggenschwiler returns for 2012 season.  (February 29, 2012)  The Railroader have received a contact for Brandon Eggenschwiler to play again for Fulton in 2012.  The outstanding outfielder and left hand hitting Eggenschwiler is the 6th player to return from 2011.  Brandon, now a junior Murray State, played 35 games with a 2011 season batting average of .292 with 3 homeruns. 2012 Roster now contains 15 players.

Veteran Railroader Brock Downey signs again.  (February 24, 2012)  Outfielder and Left handed pitcher Brock Downey is the fifth 2011 veteran Railroader to join the 2012 roster.  Downey, a sophomore at Murray State, appeared in 26 games for Fulton last year batting .352 before an injury ended his season.  The left hitting Downey had to highest OBA at .432 and reached base 35 times in 82 plate appearances.  Brock helped bring more excitement to the Railroaders with his ability to put the ball in play.  The Roster for 2012 now stands at 14 players signed.

Roster grows to Eleven Players.  (February 9, 2012)  The Railroaders have received a signed contract from Angelo Burrage to play the 2012 Railroaders.  Burrage, a lefty, plays 1st base and the outfield.  He is the second player from Saint Joseph's College join the Railroaders along with teammate Quintin Alexander.  Burrage home town is Chicago and is 5' 10" tall weighing in at 213 lbs.  In 2011, he started 44 games while gathering 45 hits and a .304 batting average on the year, finishing 6th in batting average for the Pumas. He also had the 4th highest slugging percentage at .446. 

Mikee Moore returning to Fulton.  (February 2, 2012)  Outfielder Mikee Moore rejoins the Railroaders for the 2012 season.  Moore lead the OVL last year with 30 stolen bases and tied with the most hits at 52.  He ended the season with a .329 batting average including 3 homeruns, 11 doubles and scored the most runs for Fulton with 39.  Moore's play in 2011 was key in the Railroaders successful championship season.  He is joined by 3 other Railroader veterans and brings the 2012 Roster to 10 players now signed for the upcoming season.  

Former Bobcat joins Railroaders Roster.  (January 26, 2012)  Right handed pitcher Garrett Hunt has signed with Fulton for the 2012 season.  Hunt, a member of the 2011 Marion Bobcats, is a sophomore at Rend Lake Community College and is from Calvert City, Kentucky.  He stands 6'1" and weighs in at 230 lbs.  Hunt had 7 games starts in 2011 and was 2-3 on the season for Marion.  His OVL league ERA last year was 3.42 pitching 47.33 innings.  Hunts signing brings the Railroaders 2012 Roster to 9 players.

Railroader Roster Grows to 8.  (January 21, 2012) The Railroaders added 5 more players to the 2012 team, 2 being Railroader veterans from 2011.  Rob Hogenkamp and Roman Kelly will return to Fulton to help the Railroaders towards another championship season this year.  Hogenkamp, an infielder at Harris Stowe State University, stole 15 bases and with a .405 on base average in 2011.  Roman Kelly, a right handed pitcher from Murray State University, was 1-2 with a 4.15 ERA for the 2012 OVL season.  Joining these two veterans are John Bryant from Middle TN State, Quinton Alexander and Jonathon Williams both from Saint Joseph's College in Indiana.

Bryant is an freshman standing 6'2" at 165 lbs playing  infield.  He throws and bats right.  At Columbia Central High School he was named to the all-district team as a senior.  He also earned mid-state honor in 2010 helping the Lions to back-to-back state tournament appearances, finishing as the runner-up in 2011. He was born in Columbia, Tennessee.

Sophomore Quintin Alexander is an infielder standing  6'2" and weighing in at 155.  He hometown is Chicago, Illinois and attended Brooks College Prep.  Quintin's Major at Saint Joseph's College is in Physical Education.  In 2011 he started 38 games at SS. Quintin had three doubles and scattered 19 hits over 113 at bats. He posted a .897 fielding average with 16 errors on the season.  Also from St. Joseph's is Freshman Jonathan Williams, a Right Handed Pitcher from Bowling Green, Kentucky.  He is 5'10" at 175 lbs.  Williams is majoring in Business Administration.

Railroaders resign Joe Mike for 2012 season.  (January 5, 2012)  After a successful season in 2011, first baseman Joe Mike will return in 2012 to play with the Railroaders.  He ended last season with a batting average of .301 appearing in 37 games for Fulton. During the 2011 Post Season Playoffs, he helped lead the Railroaders to a championship victory with the best OLV post-season batting average of .647.  Joe is from Mayfield KY and is in his junior year at Freed Harman University.  The Railroaders welcome Joe Mike back to play in Fulton in 2012.

First Players signed for 2012 season.  (December 21, 2011) The Railroaders have begun to build the 2012 season roster this week with the first 2 players signed.

The first player, Eric Manning a freshman from Morehead State University where he plays infield for the Eagles.  He bats and throws right, stands 5' 10" at 180 lbs and his hometown is Somerset, Kentucky.

The second player to sign is Andrew Cash from Middle Tenn State University and plays outfield for the Blue Racers.  He is a freshman standing 6' 1" and 190 lbs, bats and throws right.  His hometown is Brentwood, Tennessee where he attended Ravenwood High School.  Named to the 2010 all-district tournament team.  Also played club ball with Hit After Hit and the Franklin Outlaws.