Red Raider Profile: Rusty Shellhorn
December 07, 2010 | Baseball
Dec. 7, 2010
Red Raider Profile - Rusty Shellhorn
LUBBOCK, Texas - Although the Texas Tech baseball team has wrapped up its fall season, Texas Tech Athletics Communications will continue taking an inside look into the Tech program with Red Raider Profiles on each player.
Rusty Shellhorn (LHP - 5-10, 195 - L/L -Jr./TR - Spokane, Wash./Central Valley/Washington State)
For devoted Texas Tech baseball fans the name Rusty Shellhorn might sound familiar. The reason for that is because just last spring he was toeing the rubber at Dan Law Field. Shellhorn, then a sophomore, was making his season debut at Washington State as the Cougars were taking on Tech on Feb. 28 in Lubbock.
Shellhorn didn't figured in the 10-7 win for Washington State, but did pitch 4.0 innings allowing two runs on four hits with six strikeouts in his first start of the season.
Shellhorn is now a Red Raider. Due to NCAA rules, Shellhorn will sit out the 2011 season before playing for Tech during the 2012 campaign as a junior.
Shellhorn brings with him an impressive résumé. A résumé that includes striking out a state of Washington record 21 batters in a seven-inning game, and tossing a no-hitter in his first high school start back in 2007.
More recently, Shellhorn dominated the Northwoods Collegiate League last summer pitching for the Madison Mallards where he was a NWL All-Star while ranking in the league's top 10 in ERA (2.40) and strikeouts (58), and also tossing the first no-hitter in team history.
The previous summer, Shellhorn pitched for the North Coast Knights in the Prospect League, where he was named the league's pitcher of the year and a mid and post-season all-star while leading the league in both wins (8) and strikeouts (89) with a 1.45 ERA, which ranked second in the league.
Shellhorn graduated as one of the most heralded players in the state of Washington as he earned several high school All-America honors, named the state's top player and being selected in the 39th round (1,170 overall) of the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft by the Chicago White Sox.
"We are thankful Rusty is here," head coach Dan Spencer said. "He has to obviously sit out a year by NCAA rule, but I feel like Rusty is a guy who will step right into our rotation the following year. He is a left-handed kid who has some arm strength and has come college experience. We like everything about him. He works at it and does everything well. He is a very mature kid."
Rusty's experience at Washington State included two appearances in the NCAA Tournament along with succeeding in the classroom while landing on the academic honor roll on several occasions.
