MOBILE, Ala. ? The University of South Alabama baseball team added an experienced big bat to its 2008 signing class Monday, as Ryan Bohanan signed with the Jags, that announced by head coach Steve Kittrell.

Bohanan, a 6’1, 205 pound sophomore infielder from Goddard, Kan. is currently with Butler County Community College in El Dorado, Kan. This season, Bohanan is batting .429 with 15 doubles and eight home runs.

“We are excited that Ryan chose South Alabama,” said Kittrell. “Certainly he had a great freshman year playing at Nebraska and playing in the College World Series. He is having another outstanding year at Butler County under head coach Steve Johnson. Ryan is a big strong left handed bat that can play both first and third base, and if his arm comes around he may even see some action on the mound. Certainly this is a big signing for South Alabama.”

“Ryan is a dominant type hitter with power to all fields,” said Johnson, whose Grizzlies are 28-12 and awaiting post-season play. “He has the potential to be an impact hitter in anyone’s lineup.”

College baseball fans may recognize the name Ryan Bohanan, as he was an important piece of the Nebraska Cornhuskers 2005 College World Series team. In 2005, Bohanan became the starting designated hitter toward the end of the year and throughout post-season play, batting .311 with a home run and 14 RBIs. He was also used as a setup reliever in ’05, posting a 1-1 record with an ERA of 2.79.

“Ryan was heavily recruited out of high school before signing with Nebraska,” added Kittrell. “Both coach Jason Jackson and coach Von Behren saw him in high school and really liked him.”

“The South Alabama coaching staff did a great job in the recruiting process,” added Johnson. “They gave Ryan time to make a decision that he was comfortable with and South Alabama is where he felt most comfortable.”

Bohanan missed the entire 2006 Nebraska season due to shoulder surgery and then moved on to Butler County.