Countdown to Opening Day: Infielders and DH
February 11, 2015 | Baseball
Pirate Nation - as we continue our three-part 2015 season preview, today we go around the horn taking a look at the infield and designated hitter.
First Base:
The one thing first-year head coach Cliff Godwin has is an experienced infield as his club prepares to open the 2015 season against No. 2 Virginia. Against the Cavaliers, look for junior Luke Lowery to get the weekend nod at first due to Bryce Harman's absence. The Midlothian, Va. native batted .288 (46-for-160) with six doubles, four home runs and 19 RBI a year splitting time behind the plate and at first. In two seasons in the program, he owns a .294 average with eight home runs and 33 RBI. Following his sophomore campaign, Lowery played for the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League where he belted five homers and drove in 14.
When Harman returns to action, he will spend a majority of time at first where he started 41 games a year ago. The Chesterfield, Va. native created excitement in the batter's box during his rookie season, which lead to Conference USA All-Freshman Team honors. He belted a team-best seven home runs ranking fifth in the league, while adding three doubles and driving in 21.
An all-conference candidate, Harman made huge strides splitting time this summer in the Cape Cod Baseball League and Northwoods League facing some of college baseball elite pitching. While with the Kalamazoo Growlers, he batted .349 (15-for-34) with four extra base hits, five RBI and four walks in 10 appearances. When he returned to campus in the fall, Harman hit the weight room hard adding nearly 10 pounds to his already 6-6 frame, which has noticeably increased his power and drive at the plate.
Godwin has plenty of options to look at when creating a lineup at first or in the designated hitter spot as sophomores Eric Tyler and Travis Watkins could see action at those two positions.
Middle Infielders:
If you talk with anyone that knows the game of baseball, they will tell you that you need to be strong up the middle in the field. If that's the recipe for success, then the Pirates might be on their way. To go along with Watkins behind the plate, ECU returns starters Charlie Yorgen (second base) and Hunter Allen (shortstop), who started 35 games together in the infield.
Yorgen made his collegiate debut against Wake Forest on Mar. 12 and never left the lineup. The Richmond, Va. native batted .287 (46-for-160) with five extra base hits (4/2B's, 1/3B), drove in 16, scored 25 runs and drew more walks (16) than strikeouts (14) on his way to C-USA All-Freshman Team accolades. During a four-game stretch in late March, Yorgen batted .538 (7-for-13) collecting at least one base knock in all four contests while plating at least one run in three games helping ECU to a 4-0 week while taking home C-USA Hitter-of-the-Week honors.
Allen, one of two senior co-captains, started 37 games at short during his initial season with the Pirates where he batted .308 (36-for-117) with 11 RBI. Used primarily in the nine-hole of the batting order, Allen was successful in helping flip the lineup over drawing eight walks to nine strikeouts, advancing runners at a near .300 clip and laying down a team-best 14 sac bunts, which ranked second in C-USA and 33rd nationally. Defensively he has a knack for finding the ball after recording 63 putouts, 114 assists and turning 21 double plays.
Junior college transfer Parker Lamm (Wilson, N.C.) along with freshmen Jack Owens (Burke, Va.) and Cam Snow (Hillsborough, N.C.) could see action in a reserve role up the middle of the infield. Lamm, likely a backup at second, compiled a .300 average (68-for-227) with 12 doubles, 17 RBI and 46 runs in two seasons at Pitt Community College, while recording 128 assists and 91 putouts.
Owens has the ability to play at second and short, but most likely will split time with Lamm as Yorgen's backup. He capped a four-year career at Lake Braddock Secondary batting .369 or better over his last three seasons, including an impressive .468 composite average as a junior leading to all-region honors. Slowed early in the fall with a leg injury, Owens has rebounded to full recovery and is a viable option to be used as a pinch runner in certain situations.
After redshirting a year ago, Snow looks to experience his first action between the white lines in 2015. A solid infielder with a strong arm, Snow gained valuable playing time over the summer with the Lake Norman Copperheads of the Southern Collegiate Baseball League appearing in 22 games recording a pair of extra base hits, scoring eight runs and walking 11 times.
Third Base:
The biggest battle of the fall and spring has been at the hot corner. Sophomore Kirk Morgan and freshman Jackson Mims have been equally impressive with their glove and in the box, allowing Godwin an option of calling on a right or left-handed hitter at anytime throughout the season.
Morgan makes the long trek 90-feet to the left of the infield to third base after appearing in 28 games (22 starts) during his true freshman season. The Charlotte, N.C. native, who is one of three two-way players on the roster, batted .185 with six RBI and six runs scored. Over the summer he spent time with the Morehead City Marlins (Coastal Plain League) and Lake Norman Copperheads (Southern Collegiate League) where he excelled as a two-way player earning mid-season all-start honors the Copperheads.
Mims, a 6-3 right-hander hitter, was a three-year letterwinner for Shelby High School earning all-conference accolades three-straight years after batting .385 or better. Over the course of his prep career, Mims batted .385 with three home runs, 18 doubles, 37 RBI and scored 49 runs for the Golden Lions. Following his senior season, he played for Post 82 under direction of Mike Grayson helping his American Legion squad claim the 2014 State Championship after batting .367 with five homers, 16 doubles and a triple.
Designated Hitter:
One luxury Godwin has this season is a plethora of talented hitters to write-in as his designated hitter. The righty-lefty combo of Lowery and Harman are logical choices and will be in the middle of the line, depending on whose playing at first and calling the game behind the plate. But you could also see senior co-captain Reid Love get the nod in a game or two when he isn't patrolling centerfield. Other options are right-handers Lamm, Tyler and Watkins.
