Valparaiso University head baseball coach Paul Twenge announced that Alexander Halstead of Brookfield, Wis./Milwaukee Lutheran and Daniel Portschy of Clarendon Hills, Ill./Hinsdale Central have signed national letters of intent to attend Valpo and play baseball.

Halstead, a 6'6" righthanded pitcher/shortstop, is a two-time First Team All-Wisconsin Little Ten selection. As a freshman and sophomore, he played on Milwaukee Lutheran's state championship teams. In 2004, Halstead was named First Team All-Area and, entering his senior season, was selected preseason all-state. Halstead holds the Milwaukee Lutheran record for season batting average (.519) and his five hits in a Wisconsin state tournament are tied for second most in state history. The starting quarterback at Milwaukee Lutheran, he earned Second Team All-Wisconsin Little Ten honors as a junior.

Portschy, a 6'3" third baseman/shortstop, earned Academic All-West Suburban Silver Conference honors. Also a basketball player, he was named All-WSSC as a senior and was a team captain in his junior and senior campaigns.