Longwood’s baseball program is no stranger to changes in their schedule due to uncontrollable forces. The program has played their first seven games in seven days, and has admittedly shaken things up for Head Coach Ryan Mau.
“It obviously wasn’t scheduled that way, getting the doubleheader on [Feb. 21] really throws everybody off. I mean, your starting rotation is typically scripted every seven days and to have everyone bumped up a day or two days just makes their pitch count less,” said Mau. “The bullpen is getting utilized frequently because of the amount of games we’ve had in that short span.”
In response to the quick turnarounds, Mau said the most important thing in early season situations is simply playing the game and finding out who can and can't respond before conference play rolls around.
The Lancers are looking to improve on a 2017-18 campaign which saw the team go 17-38 overall and 9-18 in Big South play. Their season ultimately ended two games into the Big South tournament.
Junior shortstop Antwaun Tucker, who is currently batting .364, said this year’s team is less timid and shy compared to last year.
“Last year we would have games where our pitchers would throw really well and then we wouldn’t give them the offensive support. And then there were games where we would score and our pitchers wouldn’t bring their 'A-game,' so I guess we just have to combine those and bring them both to the field at the same time,” said Tucker.
This year’s squad is more experienced than in years past, and the team feels they possess the ability to compete in the conference.
“Positionally, I like us, we have guys that have played a lot of baseball and as long as they continue to trend the right way from that experience, then we are going to be okay,” said Mau. “If we are in the same position that we were last year with those guys individually then we are not going to make progress.”
The team’s pitching staff suffered a major setback a mere seven days until first pitch, losing their projected number one starting pitcher, senior right-hander Cody Boydstun, to a season-ending arm injury.
“It’s something that you see in higher levels of baseball, especially on harder throwers, and Cody is a low 90’s guy,” said Mau.
Mau said that a team can never have enough pitching, but losing a player with a high level of importance near the season is deflating.
In response, Mau tabbed Tyler Morgan, the 5-foot-10-inch right-handed junior, to become the new number one starter for the team. Thus far, Morgan has amassed an earned run average of 5.40 in just over eight innings pitched, resulting in an 0-1 start.
“Opening Day, he competed with just one pitch. I’ve coached him for three years now and I’ve never seen him not have his breaking ball on opening day, we didn’t have the breaking ball but he did compete with the fastball, [and] kept us in the ballgame,” said Mau.
Mau expressed confidence in Morgan’s game, saying when “he’s on” and all pitches are working, he could be a player to keep the team in games and also take them over.
Redshirt junior Nick Fuchs, who transferred to Longwood in 2017 from Division II Gannon University, also showed the ability to dominate opponents in the team’s recent win over Maryland-Eastern Shore on Feb 16.. Tossing a shortened seven inning complete game due to weather, which allowed only one run on four hits.
On the offensive side, the team is currently led by freshman infielder Hunter Gillam, who boasts a .400 batting average and also leads the team with four runs scored.
Gillam, the 6-foot-1-inch Farmville native, has already gained high praise from his coach while only his first year in a Lancer uniform.
“Unbelievable work ethic and poise for a freshman, his desire to be great is what drives him. The guy works relentlessly in the weight room (and) in the cage,” said Mau. “He earned the role and he’s yet to let go of it and I hope he doesn’t.”
In the coming week, the team will travel to Hawaii and to face the University of Hawaii at Manoa in a four-game series beginning on March 1. This is seen as a series with importance on the field, but can also be viewed as a team bonding experience.
“I feel like it will be big and it will also relax us coming off these seven games in seven days,” said Tucker.
This season, Mau believes the team can be an offensive force.
“That’s what this experience of positional players returning that’s what it lends itself too. We haven’t fired on all cylinders yet, we have time, it’s still early got to figure it out and got to get some guys going before we get to Gardner-Webb and open up league play,” said Mau.
While Mau expects success from the offensive side, there isn’t a lowering of expectations on the defensive end, saying that the same experience and talent should help the team be able to do that.
“For us to be successful, the pitching staff is going to have to be really good at challenging the zone, limiting free passes, holding a running game. Defensively we have to make the routine play, and offensively we have to start firing on all cylinders because we are going to need some runs and we are capable of that, I believe,” said Mau.
The team will be back on Feb. 26 against George Mason at Buddy Bolding Stadium with first pitch coming at 3 p.m.
Right-handed Pitcher, Junior Tyler Morgan, competes with a fastball instead of his typical breaking ball on opening day.
Junior Shortstop Antwaun Tucker believes the team can compete in conference if they have a strong offensive support and bring their 'A-game.'
