Richard Edwards and Jordan Pontious, former Edward Waters College Tiger baseball players and teammates, are playing professionally for the Garden City Wind in the Independent Leagues Pecos League. And both had outstanding 2019 seasons. Edwards, after a stellar collegiate career, signed a contract to play for the Trinidad Triggers of the Pecos League in 2017. Pontious is in his first year of professional ball and both he and Edwards were among league and team leaders in a number of statistical categories.
Edwards completed his third season in the Pecos League, having played for California City Whiptails and the Trinidad Triggers team based in Colorado. This season for Garden City, Kansas, Edwards pitched in 11 games and was 7-1 with a 3.58 earned run average in 65.1 innings pitched including a shocking two batters walked the entire season. He finished as one of the top pitchers in the Pecos League in earned run average.
Pontious, in his rookie campaign for the Wind was impressive at the plate this season. In 58 games, his stats included a .350 batting average with seven home runs and 51 runs batted in. He also collected 78 hits to go along with 13 doubles, 2 triples and 11 stolen bases. Pontious finished tied for fifth in the Pecos League in runs batted in.
No strangers to receiving awards, both players were selected 2019 Pecos League All-Stars for the Independent Baseball League. It was their first selection of their professional baseball careers. In college, both were conference player and pitcher of the week and Black College Nines All-Elite teams during their playing days at Edward Waters.