Four more student-athletes sign National Letters of Intent

By TJ MAXWELL
Cove Leader-Press

Three more Copperas Cove baseball players and a cheerleader were celebrated Wednesday morning in a signing ceremony at the high school’s Lea Ledger Auditorium. 
Mikayla Devins will continue her education and cheer career at the University of Texas San Antonio. The senior captain helped lead her squad to a first-place finish at the Universal Cheer Association Camp at the University of Texas at Austin last June. The 15-member squad captured first place in the situational sideline category among other honors. 
Devins and co-captain Kimberly Cimmino were named All-American Cheerleaders.
Bulldawg pitchers Josh Ropple and Jacob Wagner, along with first baseman Justin Velesky, signed letters of intent to continue their baseball careers. 
Ropple will play baseball for the Labette Community College Cardinals in Parsons, Kansas.
Ropple finished the season with a 5-2 record with a 1.706 earned run average as a pitcher for the Bulldawgs. He allowed 22 runs (13 earned) on 50 hits while striking out 64 batters, walking 16 and hitting nine in 53 1/3 innings. Ropple also led the team in batting. He had 36 hits in 95 at bats for a .379 batting average and had eight extra-base hits, including a home run. He scored 13 runs and had a team-high 34 runs batted in.
The Cardinals are currently 17-30 in the KJCCC East Division with their final game of the season set for Saturday.
Velesky and Wagner will both continue their academic and baseball careers at Arlington Baptist University. 
Velesky finished his senior year as a Bulldawg with a .312 batting average and a .455 slugging percentage.  He was 24 for 77 from the plate with eight doubles and a home run. Velesky finished the year with 18 runs batted in and 15 runs scored. He also had 159 putouts, 15 assists and turned 18 double plays at first base. 
Wagner finished his senior year 3-0 as a pitcher. He allowed 23 runs (17 earned) on 26 hits while striking out eight and walking 14 in 15.1 innings of relief. Wagner also finished the year with a .214 batting average with 15 hits in 70 at bats. He added 12 RBIs and 10 runs scored. 
The Patriots are coming of a 21-24 season where they reached the National Christian College Athletic Association Southwest Regional Tournament.