Diamonds in the rough: Baseball season begins

By Chris Nicolini
Sports/Web Editor

Beginning the season with a lackluster 5-6 overall record, the baseball team is attempting to build a foundation that will successfully carry them through the remainder of the season, which has the potential to be one of the most productive ever here at UNCP.

Leading the Peach Belt Conference with a 5-1 record, USC Spartanburg got the best of a three game series against the Braves, losing the first of a doubleheader played on Feb. 21, 7-8, then coming back to win the nightcap 9-3. The next day the Rifles took revenge on the Braves in the final game of the series, easily winning 9-1.

The team is lead by seven seniors who have had little trouble guiding the Braves thus far.

“I think we’ve had great senior leadership to this point, by far it’s been the best group of senior leaders we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Head Coach Paul O’Neil said.

Adding 15 new players to the roster, the team looks poised to make a run for the PBC title.

“In order for us to have success, our older guys are all going to have to have pretty good years… our Seniors Isaac Ezzell, Nick Hoffman, Andy Jewel, Eric Stewart; all of our seniors are going to have to contribute in a positive fashion for us to have success. Ashley Brewer is going to have to win eight to ten games for us this year if we are going to reach our maximum potential,” Assistant Coach Ray Hendrick said.

The team has only one true left-handed pitcher, Junior Tyson Van Dam; but senior first baseman and Peach Belt Conference’s Player of the Week, Andrew Rosen, is also capable of hurling lefty from the mound. Rosen has earned the honor of being the first Brave in UNCP history to receive PBC Player of the Week honors.

“We feel comfortable with our pitching depth right now,” O’Neil said. “Our pitching and our defense are improved from a year ago, so hopefully that makes a difference in the league.”

Seniors Ashley Brewer and Eric Stewart currently lead the Braves’ pitching lineup with a 3.16 and 3.24 ERA’s, respectively.

“Both those guys are quality pitchers and we expect a lot from both of them,” O’Neil said.
Sophomore Tripp Lockhart leads the offensive charge for the Braves, currently batting .390 with a .585 slugging percentage and 13 RBIs along with 7 earned walks.

Junior Quincy Wyche and Senior Andy Jewell are also aiding the offensive production batting .359 and .302, respectively.

The Braves next home game will be a Feb. 26 doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. against Shaw University. The squad then takes on Lander University for a three game home series stand, beginning with a doubleheader on Feb. 28 starting at 1 p.m. and followed the next day, Feb. 29, with the series ender against Lander at 1 p.m.