2012 Baseball
| Transouth | Pct. | Overall | Pct | Streak | Home | Away | Neutral |
| 0-0 | .000 | 0-8 | .000 | Lost 8 | 0-0 | 0-8 | 0-0 |
Coaches
Shawn Yarbrough
Head Coach- 4th Season
Shawn Yarbrough became MCU's baseball coach on August 15, 2008, replacing William Russell, who served as MCU's head baseball coach for four seasons from 2005-08.
His most recent team, the 2011 squad, posted a 25-31 mark, a major step forward from 2010. That season, MCU won 9 and lost 40 games and enjoyed improvements to its on-campus game facility, including a new scoreboard beyond the centerfield fence and a new indoor batting practice facility which also benefits the MCU softball program on the cold and rainy days especially in the first two months of the season. In the 2009 season, his first as a collegiate head coach,
Yarbrough and his wife, Tara, and infant son are residents of Paducah, Kentucky.
His most recent team, the 2011 squad, posted a 25-31 mark, a major step forward from
Yarbrough is no stranger to teaching the fundamentals of baseball and played four seasons of collegiate baseball. Yarbrough began his collegiat career at John A. Logan College, playing two seasons for the Volunteers before playing his junior season at the University of Mississippi (2003), and his senior campaign at McNeese State University (2004) While at Logan, he belted 27 home runs in two seasons, including a then-record 18 round-trippers in 2001. As a result, he was named to the Baseball America junior college preseason All-America team in 2002.
After leading the Volunteers to two consecutive conference titles, and an NJCAA World Series appearance in 2002, Yarbrough transfered to Ole Miss, where he was a member of the 2003 team which qualified for an NCAA regional tournament berth. The Rebels finished third in their regional - which was won by the eventual National Champions from Rice University. Most recently, until 2007, Yarbrough served as hitting coach and first baseball coach of the American Legion Paducah Post 31 baseball club.
After graduation from Logan and prior to transferring to OIe Miss, he played for the Sanford Mariners in the New England Collegiate League, and the following summer, played for the Fayetteville Swamp Dogs in the Coastal Plains Collegiate League. After graduation from McNeese State, Yarbrough played independent professional baseball for two seasons with the Fort Worth Cats, managed by former Cincinnati Reds player Wayne Terwilliger and operated by former Lost Angeles Dodger shortstop Maury Wills.
Yarbrough graduated from Logan with his Associate of Arts degree in 2002, and from McNeese State with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications in December of 2004. Most recently, until 2007, Yarbrough served as hitting coach and first baseball coach of the American Legion Paducah Post 31 baseball club.
He also served as an intern in the public relations department of the Southwest Louisiana Swashbucklers of the National Indoor Football League (NIFL).
After leading the Volunteers to two consecutive conference titles, and an NJCAA World Series appearance in 2002, Yarbrough transfered to Ole Miss, where he was a member of the 2003 team which qualified for an NCAA regional tournament berth. The Rebels finished third in their regional - which was won by the eventual National Champions from Rice University. Most recently, until 2007, Yarbrough served as hitting coach and first baseball coach of the American Legion Paducah Post 31 baseball club.
After graduation from Logan and prior to transferring to OIe Miss, he played for the Sanford Mariners in the New England Collegiate League, and the following summer, played for the Fayetteville Swamp Dogs in the Coastal Plains Collegiate League. After graduation from McNeese State, Yarbrough played independent professional baseball for two seasons with the Fort Worth Cats, managed by former Cincinnati Reds player Wayne Terwilliger and operated by former Lost Angeles Dodger shortstop Maury Wills.
Yarbrough graduated from Logan with his Associate of Arts degree in 2002, and from McNeese State with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications in December of 2004. Most recently, until 2007, Yarbrough served as hitting coach and first baseball coach of the American Legion Paducah Post 31 baseball club.
He also served as an intern in the public relations department of the Southwest Louisiana Swashbucklers of the National Indoor Football League (NIFL).
Since 2007, he has owned and served as hitting instructor for Diamond Academy in Paducah Diamond Academy also has conducted college preparatory fall league, consisting of 56 juniors and seniors from the western Kentucky , southern Illinois , and western Tennessee Kentucky
Yarbrough also travels as a recommending scout for the Cincinnati Reds baseball club, evaluating players' capabilities and skills in the surrounding area.
Yarbrough and his wife, Tara, and infant son are residents of Paducah, Kentucky.
Tyler Pittman
Assistant Coach- 4th Season
Tyler Pittman begins his fourth season as Mid-Continent's pitching coach, recruiting coordinator and camp coordinator. Besides his duties at MCU, Pittman works as a financial advisor for Woodmen of the World and served as assistant coach for Paducah American Legion Post 31 in 2008 and 2009.
Following an outstanding high school career at Ballard Memorial High School (Ky.) from 1998-2002, Pittman first attended the University of Kentucky in 2002-03 before transferring to Murray State University (Ky.) where he played baseball from 2004-07. Pittman earned All-Ohio Valley Conference first team selection in 2006 and 2007, and still reigns as Murray State
As a freshman at Murray State, Pittman hit eight home runs and three triples, and as a sophomore he his six homers and two triples. As a junior in 2006, Pittman hit .267 (55-for-206) with a school-record 21 doubles, one triple, 2 home runs, 32 runs scored and 35 RBI. As a senior in 2007, he hit .308 (61-for-198) with 16 doubles, 2 triples, 5 home runs, 40 runs scored and 38 RBI.
Pittman also pitched for the Thoroughbreds. As a freshman he fanned 28 in 34 and two-thirds innings of work, while walking just four. Under Pittman, the Cougars have seen their staff ERA drop from 8.12 in his first season, to 5.18 a year ago. He has also seen the team's strikeout total increase from 231 in 2008, to 290 in 2011.
Pittman and his wife Ashley have a two-year old son named James, and the family lives in Ballard County in Kentucky.
Pittman also pitched for the Thoroughbreds. As a freshman he fanned 28 in 34 and two-thirds innings of work, while walking just four. Under Pittman, the Cougars have seen their staff ERA drop from 8.12 in his first season, to 5.18 a year ago. He has also seen the team's strikeout total increase from 231 in 2008, to 290 in 2011.
Pittman and his wife Ashley have a two-year old son named James, and the family lives in Ballard County in Kentucky.
Tyler Owen
Assistant Coach- 3rd Season
Tyler Owen begins his fourth season on the Mid-Continent University coaching staff. Owen, who played for Murray State University from 2006-09, is a former collegiate teammate of MCU assistant coach Tyler Pittman, who played for Murray State from 2004-07.
In addition to his duties with the Cougars, Owen is also an instructor at Shawn Yarbrough's Diamond Academy - a position he has held for four years. Owen also served as an assistant coach for the Fulton Railroaders in the Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee (now the Ohio Valley League) collegiate summer wood bat league in 2010.
Owen currently resides in Paducah, Kentucky.
He was Murray State's starting third baseman for four seasons and ranks second in career at-bats (701), tied for fourth with 42 doubles and 10 triples, sixth with 204 hits and 299 total bases, and seventh with 197 games played. Owen compiled a .291 career average with 98 runs scored and 112 RBI.
Owen was named to the All-Ohio Valley Conference Freshman team in 2006, posting a .251 average (46-for-183), 16 doubles, 2 home runs, 23 runs scored and 24 RBI in 54 games.
Also an All-OVC selection as a sophomore in 2007, Owen hit .353 (59-for-167) and ranked second in the OVC in hitting. He hit eight doubles and six home runs, scored 23 runs and drove in 41. Owen had 13 multiple-hit games, eight in conference play, and an 11-game hitting streak.
As a junior in 2008, Owen made the All-OVC second team for a second straight year, hitting .293
(48-for-164) with 7 doubles, one triple, 24 runs scored and 23 RBI.
As a senior at Murray State in 2009, Owen hit .273 (51-for-187) with 11 doubles, 4 home runs, 28 runs scored and 24 RBI and committed just six errors in 137 chances at third base (.956).
In addition to his duties with the Cougars, Owen is also an instructor at Shawn Yarbrough's Diamond Academy - a position he has held for four years. Owen also served as an assistant coach for the Fulton Railroaders in the Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee (now the Ohio Valley League) collegiate summer wood bat league in 2010.
Owen currently resides in Paducah, Kentucky.
Mark Edwards
Assistant Coach- 1st Season
Mark Edwards begins his first season on the Cougars' coaching staff.
Edwards brings a veteran presence to his role as the team's bench coach. His coaching experience is varied and stretches across parts of 29 years. He has coached 12 seasons of youth travel baseball, which includes a season with the junior team from Paducah's American Legion Post 31. He also coached Lone Oak High School's summer baseball teams for two seasons, and spent 13 years at the reigns of the Lone Oak Middle School football program.
Edwards and his wife Nancy live in Lone Oak with their children Michael (19), Sam (16) and Kurtis (11). His sons Michael and Daniel (23) are both current members of the Mid-Continent baseball team, and his son Justin (25) - a graduate of Mid-Continent - is an assistant baseball coach at Lone Oak High School and currently works at St. Mary's elementary school.
Edwards brings a veteran presence to his role as the team's bench coach. His coaching experience is varied and stretches across parts of 29 years. He has coached 12 seasons of youth travel baseball, which includes a season with the junior team from Paducah's American Legion Post 31. He also coached Lone Oak High School's summer baseball teams for two seasons, and spent 13 years at the reigns of the Lone Oak Middle School football program.
Edwards and his wife Nancy live in Lone Oak with their children Michael (19), Sam (16) and Kurtis (11). His sons Michael and Daniel (23) are both current members of the Mid-Continent baseball team, and his son Justin (25) - a graduate of Mid-Continent - is an assistant baseball coach at Lone Oak High School and currently works at St. Mary's elementary school.
Nathan Lawrence
Grad Assistant- 1st Season
Nathan Lawrence joins the Cougars Staff as a graduate assistant for the 2012 campaign.
Lawrence began his collegiate playing career at Southeastern Illinois College, where he hit .330 and .331 in his two seasons for the Falcons. He transfered to Mid-Continent upon completion of his career at Southeastern Illinois, and played two seasons for coach Yarbrough. As a Cougar, Lawrence hit .321 in 293 at bats. He hit three home runs and belted 22 doubles in his two seasons, knocking in 39 runs in the process. Lawrence will graduate in December of 2011 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Counseling.
For four years, Lawrence has coached Paducah's American Legion Post 31 team, where he served as an assistant coach and first base coach.
He will work primarily with the outfielders in his first season. In addition to his duties with the Cougars, Lawrence in a hitting instructor at the Diamond Academy, which is owned by the Cougars' head coach Shawn Yarbrough. Lawrence resides in nearby Paducah, Kentucky.
Lawrence began his collegiate playing career at Southeastern Illinois College, where he hit .330 and .331 in his two seasons for the Falcons. He transfered to Mid-Continent upon completion of his career at Southeastern Illinois, and played two seasons for coach Yarbrough. As a Cougar, Lawrence hit .321 in 293 at bats. He hit three home runs and belted 22 doubles in his two seasons, knocking in 39 runs in the process. Lawrence will graduate in December of 2011 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Counseling.
For four years, Lawrence has coached Paducah's American Legion Post 31 team, where he served as an assistant coach and first base coach.
He will work primarily with the outfielders in his first season. In addition to his duties with the Cougars, Lawrence in a hitting instructor at the Diamond Academy, which is owned by the Cougars' head coach Shawn Yarbrough. Lawrence resides in nearby Paducah, Kentucky.
Baseball
