New-look Rams off to Hot Start as Coach White Approaches Milestone
After graduating 12 seniors from last year’s squad, the Bluefield College baseball team is counting on new players to step up and lead the Rams in 2019, and with a 6-1 start already this spring, the campus is buzzing with what could be a big season for BC baseball.
The Rams will obviously look to improve on last year’s 28-23 overall win-loss record, but one other goal to watch for this season is Coach Mike White getting his 400th career win as a head coach. After the team’s hot start to 2019, Coach White now has 385 all time wins and is getting closer to the historic milestone; however, he’s not getting caught up in the hype.
“Records are nice to come by,” Coach White said, “but the most important thing for me is improving my players’ character and ability to play baseball.”
Among the new faces who will try to help Coach White garner his 400th win is centerfielder Jordan Huntley, a transfer from Mount Olive College who already has four homeruns in seven games as the leadoff hitter for the Rams.
“Mind you, this team will get Coach White’s 400th win,” Huntley said.
Edgardo Bernard, another junior college (JUCO) transfer from Monroe College, is batting .545, and second baseman, JUCO transfer Edgar Torres, is also batting more than .500.
“I think we have new guys at almost every position, besides Nick Meadows (sophomore outfielder) and Marcus Espinal (senior second baseman),” Sports Information Director (SID) Bob Redd said. “(It’s) an almost entirely new team.”
Other players contributing are pitcher Seth Perkins, who has two wins in two starts and a total of eight strike outs, and Carlos Torres, who is third for the Rams in total runs batted in (RBI).
“We are a young team in terms of us playing together as a unit, but we are an experienced team,” Coach White said. “We have a lot of JUCO transfers and a lot of leadership on this team that can take us far. Having players like Meadows, (pitcher Nathan) Cutler, Perkins, and Espinal gives us just enough veteran savviness to compete and get off to the start we have.”
The leadership on the team comes from their head coach, who doesn’t let the players lose focus of what’s most important for the season. The players also play with a chip on their shoulder, determined to prove themselves every game.
“We love being the underdogs,” Huntley said. “Going into conference play we know other teams are doubting us. I think it will make it interesting to see where we are come that time.”
The 2019 Rams will play their first home competition of the season, Saturday, February 23, a double header against Concordia University, starting at 1 p.m. at Bowen Field. The team will begin Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) play on the road at Reinhardt University in Georgia on March 1.