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Dec. 5, 2007

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - St. Bonaventure baseball skipper Larry Sudbrook has announced the signing of four student-athletes to National Letters of Intent during the early signing period.

Sebastian Bellitto (Jamestown, N.Y./Jamestown), Nicholas Brennen (St. Mary's, Pa./Elk County Catholic), Jordan Crane (Emporium, Pa./Cameron County High) and Ryan Skellie (Erie, Pa./McDowell) will all make their way to campus in the Fall of 2008.

"We're excited about the fact that this is a very athletic group," said Sudbrook. "It's rare at our level that a player will have the opportunity to both pitch and play a position. Each of these guys are skilled enough where they will get that opportunity."

Bellitto enjoyed a breakout junior season at Jamestown in 2007, earning All-State third team accolades. Bellitto was also named to the ECIC first team, All-Western New York first team and ECIC All-Academic team. The hard-throwing lefty posted a 4-2 mark with a 2.10 ERA to help the Red Raiders finish with a mark of 14-9. He also added 68 strikeouts to his credentials en route to being name the team's Most Valuable Pitcher. At the plate, Bellitto hit .275 and drove-in 10 RBI. This summer, Bellitto was the game one starter for the Western team in the Empire State games.

"Sebastian is a left-hander who throws in the mid to upper 80s and is an outstanding outfielder who swings the bat well," Sudbrook said.

Brennen earned first team All-District honors and was named to the Elk County All-Tournament team as a junior outfielder and pitcher in the spring of 2007. He did most of his damage at the plate, posting a .452 batting average and team-highs in home runs (6) and RBI (33). Like Bellitto, the left-handed Brennen also saw time on the mound, fanning 93 batters in just 68 innings of work. This past football season, Brennen established a new school record for touchdown receptions in a game (4), finishing the season with 27 grabs for 605 yards and eight scores.

"Nick's strength is being a left-handed power-hitting outfielder," said Sudbrook. "We think he projects as a middle of the order hitter. He also has great potential on the mound as a mid 80s lefty."

A sensational multi-sport athlete, Crane will turn his focus to baseball in the spring and into the fall semester. As a junior, Crane led the Cameron County baseball team to a 20-4 record and berth in the semifinals of the PIAA State Tournament. Splitting time at first base and the mound, Crane went 8-1 as the staff ace with a 1.91 ERA. A year earlier, he helped Cameron County to their first-ever District title and appearance in the state playoffs. Crane enters his senior season with a three-year record of 21-4 on the hill.

Crane's talents extend past the diamond, as he recently quarterbacked Cameron County to a 10-2 record this past fall. Crane threw for over 1,000 yards and was selected to the All-Big 30 team as a QB. An all-conference basketball player, Crane is just 200 points shy of 1,000 for his career.

"Jordan is a mid to upper 80s right-hander," Sudbrook said. "His athleticism and bat speed will give him the opportunity to be a corner infielder."

Standing 6-foot-4, Skellie was a force on the mound and at the plate in his junior year at McDowell. The Erie, Pa., product hit .382 at the dish with a .552 on-base percentage. Skellie was named to the Region 6 first team and the Pitcher of the Year after going 4-3 with a 3.44 ERA. Last summer, Skellie hit .491 with 19 extra-base hits, including six home runs and 50 RBI in 33 games of Senior American Legion ball. Skellie finished with a mark of 7-1 on the mound.

"Ryan is a big kid who runs extremely well. He has the ability to be the middle of the order power hitter, playing a corner position in either the infield or the outfield," said Sudbrook. "As a pitcher, he is a mid 80s guy who will get an opportunity on the mound also."

St. Bonaventure will graduate five seniors from this year's team.