Rails Finishing Their College Seasons

 

 

 

As one season ends, another is about to begin.  Scattered between many colleges, the 2014 edition of the Roanoke Rails sports a collection of new faces and high acheiving college players.

 

From the ODAC Conference, several teams are represented.  Lynchburg College junior, Lincoln Evans had a sensational season for the Hornets.  A second team all-conference selection, Evans belted a gaudy .367 with 30 RBI's, 11 stolen bases and recorded his first home run as a college player this year.  Over a Randolph-Macon, Mikey Wallman put together a solid season posting 11 runs, 11RBI's and a .383 obp.  Griffin Stanley provided a spark to the Eastern Mennonite line up, driving in 10 runs of his own to go with 16 runs and a .311 average.

 

First year Hampden-Sydney players Ryan Peevey and Joey Sutphin, made the most out of their limited freshman playing time hitting .333 and ,286 respectively for the Tigers. Roanoke College hurlers Harrison Richards and submariner Austin Gregory both destinguished themselves in a rebuilding year for the Maroons. Gregory penned a 4-2 record with a 3.43 ERA with 28 strikeouts and Richards claimed a 2-3 record with 24 strikeouts of his own. Maroon teammate and veteren Rail's star Jacob Clifton rapped up an excellent career at Roanoke College, batting .387 with 12 doubles, 6 home runs, and three triples in his senior year. Unfortunately the bone heads who select the all-ODAC teams felt those numbers weren't good enough come award time.

 

Elsewhere, Hunter Allen finished his first year at Southern Virginia with a .280 average and 18 RBI's, while Rails 2013 MVP Steven Ball picked up two strike outs in one inning of work in his first outing for George Mason University.  Former Botetourt HS mound mates Zach Kelly and Mike Mnich (above) had strong seasons as well. Concord's Kelly touts a 5-1 win loss record in seven starts and Minich established a 3-2 record for his Alderson & Broaduss Battlers.

 

Many key players for the Rails are redshirting for their college teams this season.  Look for Nic Ratliff (Bluefield College), Keith Yancey (Bluefield College), Austin Lowman (Randolph-Macon), Chad Frazier (Francis Marion), and Paul Williams (Concord) to make immediate impacts this season. Add big lefthander Brandon Creesy (Arizona Christian JV) to the pitching rotation and things look very promising for the upcoming season.