Vaughn, newly signed Crosby help RailCats snap three-game skid - nwitimes.com

GARY | Alex Crosby’s locker for the time being is a couch in the RailCats' clubhouse. However, the temporarily homeless player’s current surroundings will improve soon, and any spot in a professional baseball team’s clubhouse is a welcome change from the past month and a half during which Crosby was working on his swing by day and... , native who just finished his eligibility at Division II Sonoma State University in May, signed his first professional baseball contract around 1:15 p. m. Sunday. Within 90 minutes, he sent the first pitch of his pro career into right-center field for a double and scored the tying run and later an insurance run in an eventual 5-3 RailCats win over Lincoln on Sunday afternoon at U. S. Steel Yard. Gary leadoff man Jon Jones’ cousin and the third player on this year’s team from Vacaville, manager Greg Tagert’s hometown, Crosby flew into town Thursday and was working out with the team this weekend before officially signing Sunday. “I wasn’t too sure what was going to happen, so I was taking it day by day and hoping for the opportunity,” Crosby said. His high school coaches know Tagert and helped set up the tryout, which continued Sunday when Crosby went 2-for-2 with two runs and one free pass on a hit by pitch. 514 as a senior at Sonoma State, where he played first base, second base and right field. “I feel like I’ve always done a good job with my hitting,” Crosby said. Source: www.nwitimes.com