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There’s still hope for Asheboro ZooKeepers despite tough times

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Andrew Grande hopes his time with the Asheboro ZooKeepers leads to other opportunities. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

 

Injury stalls plans for ‘free agent’ in search of new team

ASHEBORO — No baseball team in the Coastal Plain League is probably ready for the season’s second half more than the Asheboro ZooKeepers.

It’s bound to get better.

The college summer league has had unfortunate stop-and-go nature for the ZooKeepers, both from a team perspective and an individual level.

The ZooKeepers were forced on the road and into several situations necessitating make-up games because of delayed renovations at McCrary Park.

Then there’s the case of Andrew Grande, a once highly coveted college prospect trying to get back on track. That’s what made Asheboro an ideal summer destination, though an injury has stalled Grande’s season.

“It’s a really good league,” Grande said. “You play against really good players every night, so it’s a really good place to get reps and help this team in Asheboro to win some games and eventually find a new home for myself as well.”

It has been somewhat of a whirlwind for Grande. He was set to play in in college for Rice, but the May 2021 firing of coach Matt Bragga created a change of course. That led Grande to a spot on Charlotte’s 2022 roster. 

“I was originally committed to Rice and they had a late coaching change,” he said. “Houston was a long way to go, so I was thankful for Charlotte picking me up late.”

Several weeks into the season, he sensed it wasn’t the right fit, entering the transfer portal.

Grande, who generally plays as a corner infielder or corner outfielder, began the CPL season with a clear objective. He holds a version of the NCAA’s free-agent status, eligible to be a redshirt freshman in 2023.

“It’s an odd situation,” ZooKeepers head coach Jeremy Knight said. “The portal has added an interesting dynamic (to summer ball).”

Landing with the ZooKeepers meant Grande could showcase his talents.

“Everyone here wants to play all summer and have a good summer experience,” he said a few weeks into the season. “Super thankful for Coach Knight. It has been a great place so far. Playing every day. Everybody kind of goes through the ringer a little bit the first 15 games. We’ve had so many make-ups.

“Just kind of getting back in the groove of things and seeing pitching every day has been the best part of it I would say. Seeing pitching and playing every day is the best reps you can have.”

It began well. He homered in the team’s first game at Holly Springs, a road game that took him relatively close to his Clayton home. His parents were on hand for that game.

Then after a dozen CPL games, a hip ailment caused him to miss the last two weeks of the CPL’s first half. Knight said it’s uncertain if Grande, a 6-foot-5 player with a powerful bat, will be back in the lineup. He had a five-game hitting streak during a stretch before taking time off.

Knight said Grande, who finished his prep career at Christ School in Arden, has been in contact with some colleges. Ideally, he’ll have more chances to the ZooKeepers.

“The swing has been up and down, which is something you expect for someone who hasn’t played that much (for the last several months),” Knight said.

The ZooKeepers hope to have Grande’s bat back in the lineup for the final month of the season. His team compiled a league-worst 3-20 record in the Coastal Plain League in the first half to go with some other disappointing non-league results.

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ZooKeepers need results to go with home comforts

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Chase Waddell takes a swing for the Asheboro ZooKeepers during their game Sunday night against the Savannah Bananas at McCrary Park. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

 

ASHEBORO — The Asheboro ZooKeepers are starting to feel right at home in their partially renovated ballpark.

To be sure, they’re glad to settle in at McCrary Park.

“Oh my Gosh, it looks awesome,” said pitcher Danny Heintz said. “The whole thing.”

Heintz has a particular perspective because the pitcher from the University of Pennsylvania also played in 2021 for Asheboro’s team in the Coastal Plain League.

Because of delays in construction on the first phase of the renovation project, the ZooKeepers had several games called off and were forced to begin their season with a steady diet of road games.

“It was tough,” shortstop Michael Zarrillo said. “We got through it. Now we’ve got a real nice home field.”

And there was a strong turnout for Sunday night’s game with a season-high crowd of 1,236 looking on.

So the ZooKeepers are nomads no more. Still, there are things to figure out. They dropped to 0-6 in home games with the 6-3 loss to the Savannah Bananas.

Without a home game until June 4, it created chaos with the schedule, combined with weather-related postponements.

“A lot of baseball in a short period of time,” Asheboro head coach Jeremy Knight said of the updated situation.

It has equated to a rough start for the ZooKeepers, who were called the Asheboro Copperheads until an offseason rebranding.

“It was kind of an adventure in the beginning,” third baseman Andrew Grande said.

There’s still plenty of season remaining, so now knowing that the facility, which has an artificial field turf and new dugouts, is up to snuff certainly should help.

“That takes a toll on you,” ZooKeepers catcher Chase Waddell, who plays for Barton, said of some of the uncertainty.

Yet Waddell said the situation shouldn’t have been unusual for most of the players. They’ve been on the road for years playing baseball.

“I’m pretty much used to it,” Waddell said. “I played a lot of travel ball growing up.”

Heintz said he was aware of the stadium’s renovations because members of his host family – Eric and Katie Hesketts along with children Avery and Aiden – sent photos to document the process.

“So I got updated the whole time,” Heintz said. “You knew it would be good with the plan they had.”

There are other parts of the ballpark that have intrigued some of the team’s new members.

“The ball flies out of here pretty good,” Waddell said.

The ZooKeepers lost to the Bananas despite starting pitcher Taylor Perret throwing six shutout innings and Bryce Marsh hitting another home run.

Marsh, a former Southwestern Randolph player now at Pfeiffer, homered in his third straight game and for the fifth time this season.

With 12 runs batted in across the first 12 games, Marsh had more than double the number of RBI of the rest of anyone else on the team.

“He’s head and shoulders above everyone else right now,” Knight said.

Knight said more consistent hitting is needed in the lineup and more reliable results from relievers. The ZooKeepers have had trouble holding opponents off late in games.

That’s largely why they won only twice in their first dozen outings.

“We’ve got to figure out what can get the ball rolling as a team,” Waddell said.

Asheboro ZooKeepers logo 2022

ZooKeepers could be solid on mound

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ASHEBORO – There will be a few returning players on Asheboro’s Coastal Plain League team, but by and large the 2022 roster will look different in many ways.

An upgrade in experience is something that could benefit the ZooKeepers the most.

“We try our best to get the best players you come across,” said head coach Jeremy Knight, who’s also the co-general manager and in his second year with the team.

Asheboro posted a 23-21 record last year, when it was nicknamed Copperheads before an offseason rebranding.

The ZooKeepers are slated for road games at Forest City and Holly Springs on Thursday and Friday nights before Saturday night’s home opener against the Wilson Tobs at renovated McCrary Park. That begins a stretch of four home games across six nights.

Knight said he likes the mix of pitchers likely to be the core of the staff.

“I think we’ll be good with arms,” he said. “We might be light on position players when we begin.”

As always, there can be surprises regarding the roster right up until the season starts.

“With summer ball, you don’t really know what you’re going to get until they get here,” Knight said.

The Asheboro returnees are catcher Justin Wilcoxen out of East Carolina and pitchers Danny Heintz of Pennsylvania, Michael Osmond from Division III Wittenburg (Ohio) and John Owen from Division III Pfeiffer.

There’s also the possibility that Asheboro High School alum Trevor Marsh, an outfielder for UNC Wilmington, could rejoin the team after playing for his hometown club last summer. That won’t come at least until after this week’s Colonial Athletic Association Tournament at Elon.

Knight said the ZooKeepers will have more players who were regulars in their college lineups than a year ago.

“We’re going to see if that makes a difference,” he said, figuring that should be a plus. “They might come in tired, so there’s a double-edged sword.”

Area colleges will be well-represented. From UNC Greensboro, there’s pitchers Sam Murchison and Hunter Shuey and outfielders Ethan McKay and Kennedy Jones; from High Point, pitchers Patrick Libby and Connor Smith; and from Davidson, pitcher Maddux Smith.

There’s also a hometown element with Asheboro’s Bryce Marsh. The former Southwestern Randolph player is a first baseman/pitcher for Pfeiffer.

Zookeepers3

Baseball team changes name to ZooKeepers

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ASHEBORO — Asheboro’s summer collegiate baseball team has a new name.

It’s the Asheboro ZooKeepers.

Formerly known as the Asheboro Copperheads, the Coastal Plain League team announced Monday that it has a new name.

The team, which was founded in 1999, blasted Guns ‘N Roses’s “Welcome to the Jungle” as it unveiled logos and uniforms at Asheboro Recreation Center.

The team’s colors will change to a safari-theme with tan and brown dominating the logo and uniforms. Gone will be the burnt orange and black of the Copperheads. According to a release from the team, the ZooKeepers will have four official colors: khaki, brown, black, and jungle green.

“Over the past year or so, we took a long look at our brand and thought this was an ideal time to create something new and fresh,” owner Doug Pugh said in a statement. “We’ve always been focused on delivering a fun product for the whole family, so what better theme to build off than Asheboro’s biggest attraction? ZooKeepers was a no-brainer.”

Asheboro is home to the North Carolina Zoo.

The rebranding was overseen by Skye Design Studios.

“The club had been reflecting on its identity for about a year or so, thinking about ways to reinvent their brand to maximize their connection to the local community,” Skye Design Studios founder Skye Dillon said in a statement. “The North Carolina Zoo is one of the state’s most notable attractions, and is located in Asheboro. The zoo’s family-oriented values and prominence in the local region made it the obvious starting point for the club’s new name.”

The suite of logos features a zoo keeper, complete with traditional zoo keeper hat, swinging a baseball bat and accompanied by a rhino, giraffe, elephant, and snake. Dillon said there were a handful of considerations that went into selecting the animals included in the logo.

“To be as authentic as possible, they had to be animals present at the North Carolina Zoo,” he said. “We also picked ones that likely would not ever be the centerpiece of another club identity in the league, staying away from animals such as tigers, lions, and bears.”

The team also announced that it is planning cross-promotions with the North Carolina Zoo.

“We would love to see families plan outings where they visit both the zoo and the ballpark throughout the season,” ZooKeepers general manager and coach Jeremy Knight said. “As far as the baseball, we will always be committed to fielding some of the best rising talent in the sport and giving our players a stage to hone their skills. Aligning with the zoo concept will enhance the experience for anyone at the ballpark – fans or players – and should be a win-win for our community.”

The team plays its games at McCrary Park, which is receiving a massive renovation ahead of the 2022 season.

More announcements are coming from the team. Two additional spin-offs of the ZooKeepers brand will be forthcoming. The team didn’t unveil away game uniforms at the announcement for the new name.

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Marsh finds value in hometown summer

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Asheboro grad gives thumbs-up to season with Copperheads

ASHEBORO — A summer of baseball in his hometown was just the right thing for Trevor Marsh.

Marsh, an Asheboro High School graduate, took advantage of his role with the Asheboro Copperheads. He said it was well worth his time.

“It was more than I expected. I didn’t think the experience was going to be as good as it was,” Marsh said.

He was a make-up of sorts from last summer, when he was slated to play for the Copperheads before the 2020 season was scrapped because of the pandemic.

The Coastal Plain League turned out to be an ideal fit, he said, though he previously heard both pros and cons about the circuit from other college players.

He became like a hometown ambassador following his first full season for UNC Wilmington.

“They would always talk to me at the field – where’s a good place to eat or where’s a place to go hang out?” he said of teammates.

For Marsh, an outfielder who hit .289 in 34 games with four home runs and a team-best two triples to go with three stolen bases in five attempts, the opportunity to pick up pointers from college players from other teams was something he benefited from.

“Learned what works for them,” he said. “What they do that helps them. It was beneficial.”

Marsh said his goals included dealing better with offspeed pitches, improved hitting vs. left-handed pitchers and an uptick in stolen bases. Other than the base running, he said he accomplished the other two.

The Copperheads (23-21) missed the CPL playoffs, but Marsh provided a boost for the team, head coach Jeremy Knight said.

“He’s every bit as advertised,” Knight said, praising the player’s leadership as well. “Guys tend to follow his lead.”

Marsh started 12 of 15 games in the abbreviated 2020 season for UNCW. This past college season, he was slotted as a designated hitter much of the time while also playing in the outfield.

Marsh batted .259 for the Seahawks, starting in more than half of the team’s 54 games as a redshirt freshman. He hit three home runs.

Across the final 11 games, he checked in at a .333 clip. In mid-May, he was dubbed the Player of the Week for the Colonial Athletic Association.

“Toward the end of the year, I was kind of hot and a guy they depended on,” he said.

It was what he described as a heartbreaking finish for the Seahawks (32-22). They lost the final two games of the CAA Tournament – both in 10 innings to Northeastern — on their home field, needing to win just one of those to reach the NCAA regionals.

Marsh, previously a key member of Randolph County Post 45’s American Legion powerhouse teams, has spent many nights at McCrary Park. He said he’s most comfortable as a center fielder.

He said he thinks his college coaches will be pleased with what he accomplished the past couple of months.

“What they wanted me to do this summer, I did,” Marsh said. “It’s a grind, (up to) 46 games in two months.”

Marsh, previously a key member of Randolph County Post 45’s American Legion powerhouse teams, has spent many nights at McCrary Park. He said he’s most comfortable as a center fielder.

He said the Copperheads staff should be commended for handling a complex roster and making the season beneficial.

“They made it work and made it fun,” Marsh said.

Marsh, 20, has been working this summer for the City of Asheboro in water maintenance. He said his main responsibility has been painting fire hydrants. “That holds me accountable,” he said.

So it was a well-rounded time back in his hometown.

“When I came here, I was glad to be with my family,” he said.

 

END

 

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Copperheads see plenty of UNCG influence

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ASHEBORO — When something notable happens for the Asheboro Copperheads, there’s a good chance it could have something to do with one of their players from UNC Greensboro.

The time this summer with the Coastal Plain League team has been an ideal proving grounds for the college players.

“It’s top-level competition, really good,” said infielder Matt Kemp, who’s from Randleman. “It’s better than I thought it would be.”

While Kemp is getting back in the swing of things after his freshman season, pitcher Jared Mathewson is trying to tune up for a final go-around at the college level. 

“It has been a lot of fun,” Mathewson said. “Getting to meet a lot of new guys and playing with some of the guys I know. … Next year is my last year playing so this is my last summer playing.”

The Copperheads are stacked with four players from UNCG — outfielder Bradley Bott and catcher Dallas Callahan are the others. Bott hit the game-winning single in a victory last week against Wilmington.

And some of Asheboro’s top competition comes from the High Point-Thomasville HiToms, who have UNCG slugger Hogan Windish in their lineup. Windish is the CPL leader in home runs and runs batted in. The teams have four more meetings across the final two-plus weeks of the regular season.

“It’s fun playing against them,” Kemp said. “I know a ton of guys for the HiToms.”

Kemp has been mostly playing as a shortstop for the Copperheads after playing in a limited role for UNCG, where he was the third baseman.

He’s using the time in the CPL to boost his confidence.

“I really didn’t take advantage of the opportunities I had (during my freshman season),” Kemp said. “The confidence was definitely low this spring. I started out a little slow (with the Copperheads), but I’m mainly getting back in a groove. Just being aggressive.”

Copperheads head coach Jeremy Knight said Kemp has shown good patience at the plate and that has allowed him to heat up the past few weeks.

“Recently he has been tearing it up,” Knight said. “He has a really keen eye at the plate.”

Knight said Kemp’s work in the field has been consistent and that has given the Copperheads stability defensively.

Aside from a key member of Randleman teams, Kemp played on the travel-ball circuit while in high school. Then last year he played with High Point in the Old North State League just to get some time on the field after summer leagues were scrambled because of the pandemic.

So this is just another piece of a solid foundation for Kemp.

“I’ve played with wood bats the past five years,” he said. “It’s more challenging than a mental bat, but it makes you better.” 

Mathewson has made a mark on the mound for the Copperheads. He was a transfer from Mars Hill when he suited up for UNCG.

He had Tommy John surgery in May 2018, so it has been a slow climb back, particularly with the 2020 season interruption.

“This is the strongest I’ve felt,” Mathewson said. “I’ve just been able to build up my confidence on the mound.”

Entering this week, he’s second in the CPL with 34 2/3 innings to go with a 3-0 record and 2.34 earned run average. UNCG coach Billy Godwin told Mathewson to build up his endurance this summer.

“I kind of struggled early on (with UNCG) and I improved and it has carried on into the summer,” Mathewson said. “My goal was to throw as many innings as possible.”

That has worked out well for the Copperheads.

“Jared has done amazing for us,” Knight said. “He’s looking to work into a starting role (for UNCG). He just wanted to get innings.”

Rivals ready for more

The Copperheads and HiToms have a home-and-home set this week, with Friday night’s game at Thomasville’s Finch Field and Saturday night’s matchup at Asheboro’s McCrary Park.

“It makes it a lot of fun,” Mathewson said. “We strap it on with these guys throughout the year and then we get to go compete against each other.”

Windish, a second baseman who finished his redshirt sophomore season in the spring, has been an All-Southern Conference second-team selection in 2019 and 2021. With 11 home runs and 41 RBI through 29 games, his production with the HiToms puts him ahead of his rate of 10 home runs and 51 RBI in 52 games this year for UNCG.

With an abbreviated season with only some teams participating in the 2020 season, Windish was named the CPL Hitter of the Year. He led the league in batting (.447) and RBI (37) in 25 games.

“He did it last year and he’s doing it again,” Kemp said. “It’s nothing new. … Hogan is definitely a threat more than anyone else in the CPL right now. He can put on a show like that. He’s always a threat, especially this summer he has found a groove.”

The Copperheads held Windish in check in some matchups early in the season. But Knight said discussions with staff members from Forest City and Martinsville made it clear that Windish was still a focal point for the HiToms.

“They were asking if he had been doing that to us and I said ‘not yet,’ ” Knight said. “I had a feeling it was coming.”

It did in the most-recent meeting, when Windish homered.

“Every team is having trouble dealing with him this year,” Knight said. “He’s really tough to get out. He’s dialed in so much right now. He’s a pain to deal with.”

Mathewson faced Windish earlier this year and recorded a strikeout and flyout. But he knows he might have dodged trouble.

“It’s fun watching what he does,” Mathewson said. “I like to check the box score every night to see what he does. He’s a great hitter – one of the best we have at UNCG.”

UNCG is also represented on the HiToms roster by outfielder Collin Fowler and pitcher KJ Wells .

“It’s kind of neat for the guys,” Knight said. “This league is really UNCG-heavy. They have a lot of fun with it.”