Baseball Closes Out Fall With Blackbeard Challenge
December 04, 2010 | Baseball
Dec. 4, 2010
Blackbeard Challenge Highlights
GREENVILLE, N.C. - The East Carolina baseball team completed its Annual Fire of Blackbeard Challenge this week as the 2010 fall practice schedule came to an end, with Bryan Bass, Austin Blake, Philip Clark, Ben Fultz, Seth Maness, Chase McDonald, Joe O'Malley and Michael Ussery guiding team Gold to the Sixth Annual Title.
Head Coach Billy Godwin and his staff broke the squad into five groups and put them through a series of challenges that tested endurance, strength and teamwork.
"Once again this was another exciting and fun event," said Godwin. "I say this each year, but we seem to be faster and stronger than the year before, and all of that is a credit to the hard work the players along with Coach Mason Baggett (strength and conditioning) and Zac Womack (athletic trainer) have put in. The challenges we put these young men through test their mental and physical stamina, and I'm really pleased where we are right now as a team."
The first day of competition saw the teams compete in the 300-yard shuttle (Shawn Armstrong), 60-yard shuttle (Ben Fultz) and pro agility (Ben Fultz).
On day two, the teams completed chin-ups (Trent Whitehead) and the dead lift (Mike Anderson). Day three consisted of the vertical jump (Philip Clark), broad jump (Michael Wright) and a stadium run (Timothy Younger); while day four featured dumb bell bench press (Shawn Armstrong), close grip bench (Zach Wright) and plate hold (D.J. Jauss).
Final day of competition saw all five teams participate in a three-mile run, in which Tyler Joyner edged out Younger for his second-straight title in the long-distance run.
Then each team participated in the crucible completing in a series of challenges which they had to carry weights, pull weights on a sled, push wood sleds, sprint 40-yards and finish with a 20-yard army crawl. The team with the best time received points to be added to the previous four days events, deciding the overall team champion.
At the teams end of the semester banquet, which was held at the Murphy Center in the Harvey Hall Room, Godwin announced that Armstrong had won the individual title with a score of 278 with Ussery (267) finishing second. Rounding out the top-five were Clark (264), Lovick (261) and Bass (252). A year ago, Armstrong took second behind Devin Harris.
Teams in order of finish:
Team Gold: Bryan Bass, Austin Blake, Philip Clark, Ben Fultz, Seth Maness, Chase McDonald, Joe O'Malley and Michael Ussery (2055 points).
Dark Grey: William Connerley, Chris Gosik, Luke Harmer, Jake Harris, Joseph Hughes, Corey Thompson, Trent Whitehead and Zach Woods (1995 points).
White: Shawn Armstrong, Jacob Baker, Jacob Davis, D.J. Jauss, Jonathan Holt, Lance Honeycutt, Drew Reynolds and Seth Simmons (1836 points).
Light Grey: Austin Homan, Tyler Joyner, Joshua Lovick, Tanner Merritt, Kyle Pittman, Patrick Somers, Zach Wright and Timothy Younger (1820 points)
Purple: Mike Anderson, Kevin Brandt, Austin Chrismon, Brad Mincey, Jack Reinheimer, Dario Santangelo, John Wooten and Mike Wright (1506 points).
The Pirates will begin spring practice on Friday, Jan. 28 in preparation for the season opener against Youngstown State on Feb. 18, 2010.
