LU Baseball Begins Season This Weekend
Published 4:30 pm Thursday, February 17, 2011
FARMVILLE – Longwood University will open the 2011 baseball season with a young but talented roster of 23, including 14 returning lettermen. Thirty-three year veteran head coach Charles Buddy Bolding (872-477-4, .646) returns only four position starters and six pitchers, while adding nine newcomers to the tradition-rich program. The Lancers graduated one of their finest classes ever in 2010, a group that compiled a 111-87-1 record over the past four years. Coach Bolding, assisted again this year by former standouts Brett Mooney '05 and Brian McCullough '10, will need this 2011 squad to accept and meet the challenges associated with representing Longwood baseball.
“With one of our youngest teams in recent memory, the order of the day is for our young Lancers to work hard, learn quickly and make frequent contributions in support of our three seniors,” said Bolding.
Longwood will be led by senior second baseman Brant Jones [.402, 7 HR, 10 2B, 38 RBI] along with senior right-handed pitchers Chris Briere [6-5, 6.63 ERA, 77.1 IP, 57 K] and Troy Dickman [3-6, 6.44 ERA, 43.1 IP, 13 K]. Jones led the Lancers in runs (60), triples (4), and walks (28) a year ago, and was a 2010 All-Valley League 2nd-Team selection while playing for Haymarket [.352, 5 HR, 38 RBI] this past summer. He will serve as the team's lead captain this spring. Briere led the pitching staff in starts (13) and strikeouts looking (18), and will serve as the pitching captain this year as the team's number one starter. Dickman could be limited early this spring following recent arm surgery.
“Our Pied Piper for the 2011 campaign will be Brant Jones, whom I consider to be one of the all-time greatest batsmen and toughest competitors in the long and storied history of Lancer baseball,” explained Bolding. “Brant will ply his trade as the cleanup hitter and should be ready to have a great season while leading a young and inexperienced squad.
“Senior pitchers Chris Briere and Troy Dickman also should be poised to make big contributions in 2011. They each have considerable talent and each of them knows the necessity of their having productive seasons.”
The junior class of six includes right-handed pitcher Mark Montgomery [3-1, 3.09 ERA, 35.0 IP, 45 K] and two returning starters in outfielders Robby Newman [.248, 8 HR, 7 2B, 34 RBI] and Dustin Sollars [.225, 2 HR, 8 2B, 23 RBI]. Montgomery led the pitching staff in appearances (22), saves (6), games finished (20), games in relief (22), and opponent batting average (.198), and was a 2010 Coastal Plain League (CPL) All-Star and Rawlings Defensive Player of the Game while playing for Edenton (N.C.) [26 appearances, 1-2, 12 saves, 2.57 ERA, 28.0 innings pitched, 54 strikeouts-17.36]. He was ranked the 8th-best prospect in the 2010 CPL by Baseball America, and will serve as a team tri-captain as well while the team's ace in the bullpen.
Others in the class include outfielder/right-handed pitcher Matt Gwaltney [.211, 3 RBI; 0-3, 6.75 ERA, 30.2 IP, 16 K], along with catchers D.J. Pomposini [.250, 1 HR, 1 RBI] and Michael Sims [.184, 4 2B, 7 RBI]. Gwaltney is set to start in the outfield and will have a spot as the number three starter in the pitching rotation as well, while Pomposini and Sims each provide experienced depth both at and behind the plate.
A five-member sophomore class is led by starting designated hitter Justin Lacy [.271, 5 HR, 11 2B, 22 RBI] and starting left-handed pitcher Bobby Shelton [0-1, 6.75 ERA, 33.1 IP, 19 K]. Joining this duo are utility infielder Scott Laabs [.139, 2 2B, 4 RBI], along with left-handed pitcher Kyle Long [0-0, 6.97 ERA, 10.1 IP, 8 K] and right-handed pitcher Kyler Morgan [5-1, 5.82 ERA, 34.0 IP, 17 K].
A talented freshman class consists of nine new team members. They include four projected position starters in catcher Scott Burkett, shortstop Matt Dickason, first baseman Zach Mihalko, and third baseman Alex Owens. Others in the first-year group include probable number four starting right-handed pitcher Cory Ramsey, outfielders Adam Blankinship and Brian McBride, along with left-handed pitcher Kyle Hall and right-handed pitcher Ryan Schubert. Blankinship is expected to split some time in the outfield with Gwaltney.
“As many as five rookies could make their debuts in Longwood's starting lineup, an unusual occurrence for Lancer baseball; so the challenge is great, but the opportunities are abundant,” added Bolding who noted that his team's ancient Latin mantra, 'Et cum non prosuntus singula, multa juvant' (Where one alone may fail, many together working for the whole shall succeed), will perhaps stand its greatest test ever this season.
A 30-game home schedule highlights the campaign and includes visits to Farmville by Virginia schools George Mason, James Madison, Norfolk State, Radford, VCU, VMI, as well as William and Mary. Others to play at Charles Buddy Bolding Stadium include Buffalo, Campbell, Cleveland State, Coppin State, La Salle, Le Moyne, North Carolina A&T, and North Carolina Central.
Longwood will also play road games at in-state opponents JMU, NSU, Old Dominion, RU, VCU, VMI, as well as William and Mary. The Lancers only venture outside of the Commonwealth on five occasions this season for games at Bucknell, NC A&T, NC Central, UMBC, and UMES.
The 2011 schedule gets started this weekend, February 18-20, with a three-game home series against Cleveland State of the Horizon League at Bolding Stadium in Farmville. The season-opening series will include a 4 p.m. game on Friday, Feb. 18, a 1 p.m. game on Saturday, Feb. 19, and a 12 p.m. game on Sunday, Feb. 20.