Brooks, Lamm And Watkins Named 2016 Baseball Captains
November 13, 2015 | Baseball
GREENVILLE, N.C. - Seniors Garrett Brooks and Parker Lamm, along with redshirt junior Travis Watkins, have been named team captains for the East Carolina baseball team in 2016, according to an announcement by second-year head coach Cliff Godwin Friday afternoon. The trio of upperclassmen were voted as captains by their teammates.
"In my opinion, the greatest honor you can receive as an ECU baseball player is being voted a captain by your teammates," Godwin said. "Garrett, Parker and Travis each exemplify our P.I.R.A.T.E.S. Mission values both on and off the field. I could not be happier for them because they earned the right to wear a "C" on their jerseys this spring!"
Brooks, a three-year letterwinner, earned 2015 Coral Gables All-Regional Team honors after batting .667 (4-for-6) and reaching base five times (four singles and hit by pitch) in two contests to lead the four-team regional in batting average.
He started 40 of 55 games in centerfield during the 2015 campaign, batting a career-high .270 (34-for-126) with three home runs, 14 RBI and 23 runs scored - all personal bests. Brooks was one of five Pirates who drew more walks than strikeouts (21 to 17), while also tallying five sacrifices and swiping 5-of-7 bases. Defensively, he registered the third-highest fielding percentage on the club (.991), tied for second with four outfield assists and turned an outfield best three double plays.
Brooks earned his first career American Athletic Conference Player-of-the-Week award on May 18 following ECU's perfect 4-0 week to close out the regular season after batting a team-best .571 (4-for-7) with two home runs, four RBI and three runs. The Chesapeake, Va. native recorded at least one hit, one RBI and scored at least one run in all three starts, while reaching base eight times during the week.
Lamm appeared in 42 games making 27 starts for the Pirates a year ago. The Wilson, N.C. native batted .238 (24-for-101) with four doubles and 10 RBI, while drawing 12 walks to just 11 strikeouts. He collected four multi-hit and two multi-RBI games, posted a season long eight-game hit streak to open the season (10-for-28/.357), tallied six total sacrifices and stole 3-of-7 bases. Defensively, he recorded four outfield assists, including one double play, and posted a .964 fielding percentage.
Watkins, a three-time Johnny Bench Award Watch List candidate and 2015 semi-finalist, started all 60 games in 2015 with 58 coming behind the plate. The Concord, N.C. native batted .292 (62-for-212) with three home runs, five doubles, 36 RBI and scored 28 runs. Watkins registered 16 multi-hit and seven multi-RBI contests, including a career-best five-hit performance at Elon (Mar. 15). He led the club with seven sac flies, while stealing a career-best six bases - four of which came against the Phoenix (Mar. 15). Watkins sported a .993 fielding percentage, committing just three errors in 429 chances, while throwing out 18 would-be base stealers.
The Pirates will open the 2016 season on Friday, Feb. 19 when they play host to Longwood in a three-game series at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. (ET).
