ECU Baseball Finishes Fall With Annual Fire of Blackbeard Challenge
December 11, 2006 | Baseball
Dec. 11, 2006
GREENVILLE, N.C. - The East Carolina baseball team completed its Annual Fire of Blackbeard Challenge last week as the 2006 fall practice schedule came to an end, with Mike Flye, Trent Ashcraft, Brandon Henderson, Broc Sutton and Zach Cooper guiding the white team to the Second Annual championship.
Head Coach Billy Godwin and his staff broke the squad into seven groups and put them through a series of challenges that tested endurance, strength and teamwork.
"This was another exciting and fun event for our team," said Godwin. "I am pleased with the results and strides that we have made during the fall semester. Our players are faster and stronger right now more than they were a year ago, and all of that is a credit to the hard work that this team along with Coach Nate Barnes (strength and condition) and his staff has put in."
The first day of competition saw the teams compete in the vertical jump (Shane Small-36"), broad jump (Ryan Wood-9'7"), pro agility shuttle (Broc Sutton-4.12), 60-yard dash (Trent Ashcraft-6.55) and 300-yard shuttle (Chris Powell-44.56).
On day two, the the teams headed inside to the Murphy Center for strength tests in squat (Kyle Roller-500 lbs), dead lift (Kyle Roller-575 lbs), dumb-bell (60 lbs) bench press (Chris Powell-40) and pull-ups (Harrison Eldridge-35).
Final day of competition saw all seven teams wake-up at 5:00 am to participate in the obstacle course. Each team had complete a series of challenges in which they had to carry medicine bags and weights, pull weights on a sled for 50 yards, climb up and over hurdles, run around cones and then run stadium steps at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. The team with the best time received 300 points to add to their cumulative score from the first two days.
The winning team was announced at the team banquet which was held at the Murphy Center in the Jones Room. Former Pirate assistant coach George Whitfield and former Louisburg head coach Russ Frazier served as guest speakers.
Teams in order of finish
Team White - Mike Flye, Trent Ashcraft, Brandon Henderson, Broc Sutton, Zach Cooper.
Obstacle Course: The Crucible in a time of 24:57.
Team Gold - Chris Powell, Dale Mollenhauer, Jamie Ray, Corey Kemp, Bobby Fowler
Crucible Time 25:09
Team Purple - Shane Mathews, Cody Leggett, Josh Dowdy, Kyle Roller, Drew Schieber
Crucible Time 27:20
Team Dark Grey - Ryan Tousley, Jason Neitz, Chase Hooper, Josh Ruhlman, Mark Letchworth
Crucible Time 26:06
Team Black - Harrison Eldrige, Bailey Daniels, Mike Anderson, Joe O'Malley, Austin Homan
Crucible Time 27:13
Team Grey - TJ Hose, Jeff Ostrander, Shane Small, David Forbes, Brett Butts
Crucible Time 28:16
Team Red - Stephen Batts, Jake Dean, Devin Harris, Dustin Sasser, Ryan Wood
Crucible Time N/A (injured team)
Final Individual Results
Squat: (test lower body strength)
1. Kyle Roller - 500 lbs
2. Ryan Tousley - 455 lbs
3. David Forbes - 425 lbs
4. Brett Butts - 415 lbs
5. Shane Matthews & Chris Powell - 405 lbs
Dead lift (tests overall body strength)
1. Kyle Roller - 575 lbs
2. T.J. Hose - 500 lbs
3. Chris Powell - 500 lbs
4. Corey Kemp - 500 lbs
5. David Forbes - 500 lbs
DB Bench 60lbs for reps (tests upper body strength and endurance)
1. Chris Powell - 40
2. Kyle Roller - 38
3. Corey Kemp - 35
4. Bailey Daniels - 33
5. Chase Hooper & David Forbes- 30
Pull-ups (tests strength in upper back, biceps, and grip strength)
1. Harrison Eldridge - 35
2. Chris Powell - 31
3. Drew Schieber - 28
4. Jamie Ray - 25
5. Trent Ashcraft - 24
Vertical Jump (tests vertical power)
1. Shane Small - 36"
2. Kyle Roller - 34.5"
3. Trent Ashcraft - 34.5"
4. Harrison Eldridge - 34.5"
5. Ryan Wood - 34"
Broad Jump (test horizontal power)
1. Ryan Wood - 9'7"
2. Trent Ashcraft - 9'6"
3. Chris Powell - 9'4"
4. Devin Harris - 9'3"
5. Harrison Eldridge - 9'3"
Pro Agility Shuttle (tests lateral speed and ability to stop and go)
1. Broc Sutton - 4.12
2. Bobby Fowler - 4.12
3. Shane Mathews - 4.16
4. Ryan Wood - 4.16
5. Brandon Henderson - 4.21
60 yd dash (tests linear "straight ahead" speed - position players only)
1. Trent Ashcraft - 6.55
2. Jamie Ray - 6.70
3. Dale Mollenhauer - 6.70
4. Devin Harris - 6.74
5. Stephen Batts - 6.75
300 yd shuttle: (tests sprint endurance - pitchers only).
1. Chris Powell - 44:56
2. Shane Small - 45.47
3. Josh Dowdy - 45.84
4. Josh Ruhlman - 45:84
5. Joe O'Malley - 46.04
The Pirates will begin spring practice on Wednesday, Jan. 10 in preparation of for the season opener against Liberty on Feb. 9, 2007.
