HOME OF THE CHARGERS

MAKES NONBINDING AGREEMENT TO PLAY BASEBALL CHARGERS' BEARD RUTGERS BOUND By GREG TUFARO STAFF WRITER gtufaro@thnt.com Willie Beard, the Greater Middlesex Conference's 2006 Blue Division Player of the Year, has made a nonbinding commitment to attend Rutgers University, Spotswood High School baseball coach Glenn Fredricks announced yesterday. Beard compiled an 8-2 record with a 1.94 ERA a year ago. He struck out 92 batters and walked just 25 while leading the Chargers to their fourth straight division championship last season. The senior right-hander had an outstanding offseason, leading Milltown's Senior American Legion team to a second consecutive state tournament berth and helping the Jack Cust Super 17 All-Star team win the Don Mattingly AABC 17-and-under World Series. It was during the latter event that Beard got the attention of college coaches, according to Fredricks, who said his star pitcher received scholarship offers from ACC and SEC schools. "Willie really made a name for himself this summer," Fredricks said. "He's really, over the course of the past three years, turned into a pitcher rather than a thrower. He's always had the arm." Fredricks said Beard could be one of the GMC's most dominant pitchers in 2007. "If you don't know him by now, he's going to really prove that he belongs on the short list of great pitchers that have ever come out of this area," the coach said. "I really, truly believe that because of his makeup and work ethic." Fredricks said Beard chose Rutgers because of head coach Fred Hill and the state university's academic programs. Fredricks said Beard ranks in the Top 20 of Spotswood's 2007 graduating class. "It fits his academic profile to go to a great university like Rutgers," Fredricks said. "He also felt really comfortable with Coach Hill and (assistant coach) Glenn Gardner. Those guys really made him feel Rutgers was the place for him."