Menu

College baseball

ZooKeepers scoreboard June2023

ZooKeepers finish CPL baseball season with positives

, , , ,

By the end of many games, the scoreboard numbers didn’t add up well for the Asheboro ZooKeepers. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

ASHEBORO – The good times for the Asheboro ZooKeepers mostly came late in the season for the collegiate summer baseball team.

The ZooKeepers finished with a 20-24 record in the Coastal Plain League, winning just two of their last six games. Their 12-11 mark in the second half was the second-best record in the West Division.

That was improvement from 2022, when Asheboro’s 14-33 overall record was the worst in the CPL.

The leading batter for the ZooKeepers was second baseman Cole Laskowski at .290 among players with enough plate appearances to qualify on the official league list.

Todd Hudson and Jared Beebe were tops for Asheboro in home runs with six apiece. Beebe led the team in runs batted in with 39 and Hudson was next with 27.

Tyler McPeak had a team-leading nine doubles despite not playing for nearly three weeks to end the season.

Pitcher Daniel Thompson posted a 2.05 earned run average in nine outings, including five starts. Jacob Halford had the most pitching victories as he racked up a 5-1 record.

First-year general manager Melissa Godwin said pitching depth became a shortcoming for the team. That was particularly evident late in the season.

The ZooKeepers began the season playing home games at UNC Greensboro’s baseball stadium because of a renovation project at McCrary Park that didn’t make it feasible to have fans at the ballpark.

Lleyton Lackey of Asheboro ZooKeepers enjoys a moment late in the season after hitting a home run. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

In the CPL’s official listing, the ZooKeepers were second-to-last among the 14 teams in home attendance with 609 spectators per opening.

The ZooKeepers were eliminated from postseason contention with the result in their final home game. The Forest City Owls won 4-2 at McCrary Park. Hudson and Dallas Callahan drove in the Asheboro runs.

Then there were three road games remaining on the schedule.

The first of those was cancelled because of weather at Martinsville, Va. Then came an 8-1 loss to the Florence Flamingos, with Asheboro’s run coming on Dylan Driver’s second home run of the season. Jaden Stockton took the loss.

Then Saturday night at Boone, Asheboro won 9-4 as Hudson drove in three runs and Driver and Laskowski both had three hits. Starting pitcher Drew Siegner worked five innings for his first victory of the season.

ZooKeepers Dallas Callahan swing 2023

ZooKeepers find different values in season

, , , , , , ,

Dallas Callahan has been with Asheboro’s Coastal Plain League team even before this year. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

ASHEBORO – Tyler McPeak and Dallas Callahan have given the Asheboro ZooKeepers a veteran presence in different ways during the Coastal Plain League baseball season.

McPeak is looking to polish his swing and plate approach in advance of a final season at Lenoir-Rhyne, where he has been a record-setting slugger.

“I’ve always been a guy that feels there’s something else to be desired,” McPeak said. “Chasing perfection in an imperfect game.”

Callahan opted for a final go-around in a collegiate summer league even though he’s done playing at UNC Greensboro.

“I wanted to stay ready in case somebody wants to give me a shot,” said Callahan, 23.

Callahan, the son of first-year ZooKeepers general manager Melissa Godwin, started 53 games this year for UNCG (25-34), batting .195 in 55 games overall. He hit seven home runs.

Callahan, a catcher, played for Asheboro in the summer of 2021, when the team’s nickname was Copperheads.  Last year, hip surgery kept him out of a summer circuit.

More recently, he had two-hit outings four times in a six-game stretch for the ZooKeepers.

“I’m here for the game,” Callahan said. “I’m not ready to give it up.”

Tyler McPeak has made big contributions at the plate for the Asheboro ZooKeepers. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

McPeak has been out of the lineup for two weeks with ailments after being the team’s biggest offensive threat. Yet even with the missed time, the first baseman entered the last week of the regular season second on the team in home runs (4) and runs batted in (23) behind Jared Beebe. McPeak’s nine doubles top the team and he holds a .314 batting average.

McPeak, a North Lincoln product, will be entering his sixth season in a college baseball program. He was on the Campbell team prior to transferring to Lenoir-Rhyne, where his 18 home runs this year set a single-season school record.

“It would be nice to break that record again,” he said.

Until then, time in a summer league was a good option again.

“I’m just trying to have fun,” McPeak said. “I know this is probably my last year of summer ball.”

Thompson honored

Daniel Thompson of the ZooKeepers was named the CPL Pitcher of the Week. Across two outings, the right-hander for UNC Greensboro struck out 12 batters in 8 2/3 innings and picked up one victory.

It also was a big week for Asheboro’s Daniel Hudson. He had the game-winning single against the Boone Bigfoots in a 13-12 comeback home victory and then homered twice the next night against the High Point-Thomasville HiToms at Finch Field. The 20-10 outcome against the HiToms gave the ZooKeepers a five-game winning streak, which was snapped the following night by the Wilson Tobs.

Note: The final regular-season home game of the season for the ZooKeepers is Tuesday night (Aug. 1) vs. the Forest City Owls.

ZooKeepers pitcher Hunter Hill headshot

UCA alum, ZooKeepers pitcher Hill finds new college home

, , , , ,

ASHEBORO – Hunter Hill arrived to play summer baseball with the Asheboro ZooKeepers while representing North Carolina Wesleyan.

When he leaves, he’ll be heading to another college.

Hill, a former Uwharrie Charter Academy pitcher, is transferring to Division II Belmont Abbey.

“I’m excited about it,” he said. “I was happy to move up the ladder.”

Hill pitched for two seasons for Division III N.C. Wesleyan without a loss on his record. The time in his first season with the ZooKeepers in the Coastal Plain League has given him confidence that he can be successful at a higher level.

“It’s a good test,” he said. “Trying to be competitive and see what I got.”

Hill posted a 7-0 record with a 5.05 earned run average in 14 appearances as a sophomore for N.C. Wesleyan, which had a 36-10 record and won the USA South Conference regular-season and tournament titles to reach the Division III NCAA Tournament. That followed Hill’s freshman season when he was 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA.

ZooKeepers coach Korey Dunbar, who was aware of Hill during recruiting when he was on the staff of Division II Barton, said the pitcher has become a more powerful pitcher.

“Hunter has changed his body completely since high school,” Dunbar said.

The transfer process was a challenge because Division III regulations differ from the higher levels. That meant it was up to Hill to spread the word in the form of self-promotion.

“It was kind of a headache,” he said.

Hill, a right-hander, said he had interest from a few Division II teams.

Hill, a former player for Randolph County Post 45, said he was hoping to play in 2022 with the ZooKeepers, but he didn’t make those arrangements in time to be considered for a roster spot.

“This year, I took it as soon as I could.” he said. “I’ve loved it here.”

Hill was a starting pitcher for N.C. Wesleyan, but mostly has been logging bullpen innings for Asheboro.

“I was on an innings count for the summer,” he said.

Dunbar said Hill has fit in on the pitching staff. He entered this week with a 1-0 record and 10 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings.

“Division II, Division III, for me, that kind of goes out the door,” Dunbar said. “It doesn’t matter where they’re from.”

There has been a pressure situation in an unusual form for Hill on the mound at McCrary Park. That came in a June game against the Holly Springs Salamanders.

The ZooKeepers held a 4-2 lead when Hill pitched the eighth inning. With two Salamanders on the base, team general manager Melissa Godwin, in an effort to rile up the crowd, announced on the public address system that a strikeout of Holly Spring’s Nolan Watson would ignite 10 T-shirts being thrown into the stands as a giveaway.

Hill came through with the strikeout.

“I can’t let everybody down,” Hill said of his thoughts. “That’s one of the coolest strikeouts I’ve had.”

ZooKeepers Jay Dillard June 29 after double

ZooKeepers show signs of breaking through

, , , , , ,

Jay Dillard had a three-run double and then scored a run for the Asheboro ZooKeepers against Holly Springs on Thursday night. (Photo courtesy of ZooKeepers)

ASHEBORO – The Asheboro ZooKeepers didn’t make a push for the first-half title in the Coastal Plain League’s West Division.

But they did develop momentum and created some good vibes by the midway mark of the season.

Among the highlights was Thursday night’s 5-4, 10-inning victory against visiting Holly Springs Salamanders at McCrary Park.

“We strung a couple of nights like that together,” first-year ZooKeepers coach Korey Dunbar said. “We’re starting to finish games.”

The next night, the ZooKeepers ended the CPL’s first half with a 12-5 loss at Holly Springs. That left Asheboro with an 8-12 record, though that’s washed away with the second half of the split season beginning on the weekend.

“I think we’re starting to figure it out as a team,” first baseman Tyler McPeak said.

The ZooKeepers were in their home ballpark for games for only a week during the season’s first half because of renovations. That created a bunch of road assignments and select home games at UNC Greensboro. There were logistical challenges as the roster continued to evolve.

“It seems like this first half has flown by,” Dunbar said.

McPeak set a Lenoir-Rhyne single-season home run record with 18 this year in his first season since transferring from Campbell. He said the ZooKeepers are starting to develop the right mindset.

“Just getting out here and playing every day,” McPeak said. “You can’t dwell on every game. You move on.”

In the first half’s home finale, the ZooKeepers were one strike away from winning in the top of the ninth. An appeal on a check-swing by Nate Carriere was denied and he took advantage of the chance by singling to left field to drive in two runs.

The Salamanders had runners at first and third with no outs in the 10th but Jacob Halford escaped.

With a runner placed at second base based on the extra-inning rules, Todd Hudson, the first batter for Asheboro in the 10th, drilled a single to right-center field to drive in the winning run.

“It’s fun to do,” Hudson said of the walk-off hit. “You like it for the team.”

That marked the ZooKeepers’ second victory in a row following a doubleheader split with the High Point-Thomasville HiToms on Tuesday night.

Hudson, a rising sophomore for Liberty, said it might have been prior to high school when he had a previous walk-off hit. This might have been just what the ZooKeepers needed.

“We’ve been very close in a lot of games,” Hudson said. “Good to pull one out.”

Asheboro scored four second-inning runs on Jay Dillard’s three-run double and Cole Laskowski’s double.

ZooKeepers pitcher Jacob Dienes of North Carolina State rolled through five innings. Then he beaned Austin Hawke to begin the sixth and that was followed by Win Johns’ home run.

On Friday night, Andrew Grande, who played for Asheboro last year, homered for the Salamanders.

ZooKeepers front of dugout at UNCG June 9 2023

ZooKeepers take winding path to slow start

, , , , , ,

Members of the Asheboro ZooKeepers hang out at the dugout at UNCG. (Photo courtesy of ZooKeepers)

GREENSBORO – College baseball players arrived to play a summer season in Asheboro.

So far, they’ve played only elsewhere.

That’s just part of the rough opening stretch of the season for the Asheboro ZooKeepers.

“It’s a little strange,” said third baseman Tanner Thomas, who plays collegiately for Longwood. “We’re very thankful that we have a place like this to play.”

He was referring to UNC Greensboro Baseball Stadium.

With a renovation project behind schedule at McCrary Park, the ZooKeepers have mostly played road games in the Coastal Plain League. They could be using the UNCG facility for select home games through June 21.

So the ZooKeepers played their ”home” opener Friday night at UNCG. The 3-0 loss to the Forest City Owls dropped Asheboro’s record to 0-5. In a rematch the next night at Forest City, the Owls won 6-5.

“We’re keeping a positive attitude,” ZooKeepers catcher Dallas Callahan, who played the 2021 summer season in Asheboro and is a UNCG product. “We’re piecing it together.”

That’s the message from first-year coach Korey Dunbar.

“We’ve got a young group of guys,” he said. “We’re going to continue to get better as we go once we start to figure things out.”

The Asheboro ZooKeepers line up with young fans for the national anthem prior to the “home” opener. (Photo courtesy of ZooKeepers)

Since the start of the season, some players have trickled in. For instance, Jake Holland, a catcher from New Mexico (and transfer who also played for Georgia Tech), was on hand for his first game Friday night.

Dunbar didn’t have pitching coach Josh Pike available until late in the week because of his commitments as a graduate assistant at North Carolina State.

Asheboro received a solid outing from starting pitcher Jacob Dienes, an N.C. State lefty. And by the ninth inning, the ZooKeepers had two runners on base when the game ended on Luke Holland’s lineout to second base.

“We’re not playing our best baseball and we’re in ball games,” Dunbar said. “We’ve got to do some work. I’m positive with these guys.”

Another scoring chance fizzled in the fourth after Dylan Driver’s lead-off double.

Thomas said he’s excited about playing the summer in the CPL after appearing in 44 games as a freshman for Longwood.

“We’re working every day and we’re constantly getting better,” Thomas said. “Little things here and there that aren’t falling our way. Everybody is trying to get kick-started.”

For Callahan, who played this year as a UNCG senior, he figured his playing days on campus had been completed.

“You play your last game here (for UNCG) and think you’re done here,” Callahan said. “And you’re back.”

About 100 spectators attended the ZooKeepers’ first game in Greensboro.

ZooKeepers general manager Melissa Godwin, who’s in her first season, is wife to UNCG coach Billy Godwin. She said she views the relocation of games as a short-term glitch.

“It’s a blessing to be able to use UNCG,” she said. “It definitely has been an operational challenge.”

Dunbar praised Melissa Godwin’s efforts to pull things together the past few weeks. The ZooKeepers have been able to use McCrary Park for practices while renovations continue on off-field fan areas.

“She’s making it a good experience and that’s what we want for the guys,” Dunbar said. “It’s going to pay off.”

Luke Thomas UNCG headshot

College baseball: Thomas makes starts for UNCG; Marsh helps UNCW

, , , ,

Photo: Luke Thomas

GREENSBORO – Providence Grove alum Luke Thomas has moved to a role as a starting pitcher for UNC Greensboro’s baseball team the past two weeks.

Thomas, a freshman, was the starter for the Spartans in the opening games of the past two Southern Conference series. He had a no-decision against Virginia Military Institute and a loss at Samford.

Thomas (2-2) made his first 11 collegiate appearances as a reliever. He has one save.

The Spartans (16-16 overall, 4-5 Southern Conference) have a three-game conference series at home against The Citadel with games Friday night and Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

** At Elon, UNC Wilmington’s Trevor Marsh of Asheboro had two hits, including a double, in the second game of Sunday’s doubleheader as the visiting Seahawks won 7-6 against Elon in a matchup of the Colonial Athletic Association’s top two teams.

Marsh, a center fielder, also had a stolen base in the game. He’s batting .325 through 30 games.

Elon won the first game 3-1 after postponements the previous two days reduced the series to two games.

Luke Thomas UNCG headshot

College baseball: Thomas notches wins at UNCG; Gardner receives USA South honors

, , , , , , ,

Luke Thomas at UNCG

Several alums from Randolph County schools have produced notable opening stretches in their collegiate baseball careers.

Providence Grove alum Luke Thomas was the winning pitcher in his collegiate debut, throwing 1 2/3 shutout innings when UNC Greensboro defeated Northeastern on Feb. 18 in the second game of the season. The Spartans scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning.

The next day, Thomas took the loss when giving up four late-inning runs to Northeastern.

In the season’s second week, Thomas had two outings against Notre Dame, throwing one hitless inning in the second game of the series and, the next day, three shutout innings with five strikeouts in the series finale.

He added his first collegiate save March 1 with two shutout innings in a 4-1 home victory against Elon.

Then this past weekend, Thomas was the winning pitcher when the Spartans began a three-game sweep of visiting Rutgers. Thomas threw two shutout innings in the 3-2 outcome.

In the series finale against Rutgers, Randleman alum Matt Kemp, a junior, improved to 2-0 this season with a shutout inning in the Spartans’ 10-9, 10-inning victory.

White has mixed outings

Randleman alum Ryan White pitched in the season opener for Western Carolina, making his collegiate debut vs. Akron. His stint came to begin the ninth inning, striking out his first batter.

But an error and a pair of walks preceded Ian Pennington’s game-tying grand slam. The Zips went on to win 14-12.

Last week, White posted 1 2/3 hitless innings at Gardner-Webb and then he logged a shutout inning in a 10-3 victory against visiting Eastern Kentucky.

Gardner honored twice

Former Eastern Randolph baseball player Brody Gardner has had a strong start to his collegiate career with Greensboro College. The freshman outfielder was a two-time USA South Conference Rookie of the Week in February.

Brody Gardner at Greensboro College.

He received the conference’s first rookie honor of the season as a result of a .350 batting average and driving in two runs when the Pride won two of three games against Lynchburg.

The next week, Gardner batted .316 with three doubles, two runs batted in and scored three runs when the Pride went 2-2. He has been in the lead-off spot in the batting order.

On Saturday, Gardner was 3-for-5 with two runs scored in a 7-5 victory at Berry (Ga.) College.

Melissa Godwin and ZooKeepers

New GM for ZooKeepers holds unique background

, , , , ,

Melissa Godwin has joined the front office of the Asheboro ZooKeepers. (Courtesy photo)

ASHEBORO – Melissa Godwin has clear baseball connections and those could be a boost for the Asheboro ZooKeepers.

Godwin is the team’s new general manager and director of baseball operations. She’s wife to UNC Greensboro baseball coach Billy Godwin.

“My résumé is pretty good without Billy,” she said. “(Taking this job) was the culmination of everything I’ve done.”

She’ll largely handle the ZooKeepers operations. Dennis Garcia, who had been in that role, will concentrate primarily on the American Legion programs that are McCrary Park tenants and the annual fall baseball league for high school players.

ZooKeepers owner Ronnie Pugh said the division of workload should emphasize strengths.

“They’ll overlap,” Pugh said.

Melissa Godwin said it should be a good combination.

Godwin has coached softball at the high school, club and travel circuits. She also has coached volleyball. Before joining the ZooKeepers, she had been at teacher at Southeast Guilford.

“I was looking to get into an AD role,” she said of goal of becoming an athletics director.

Godwin is from Polk County. She played college softball for USC Upstate and later was an assistant coach there.

Her son, Dallas Callahan, played for Asheboro’s Coastal Plain League team in 2021 and is a UNCG senior.

Jeremy Knight, who returned to a teaching position at Southern Alamance High School in August, had the co-GM and manager roles for the past two seasons.

“It filled a void for us at that time,” Pugh said.

Pugh said Godwin’s connections regarding player personnel should be a boost in attracting players to the team.

“They’re spending a lot of time on (assessing) players,” he said.

Godwin said the process of securing player commitments for the 2023 season is moving along. It’s possible that the ZooKeepers’ roster could include players from 15 Division teams. She said a 40-player roster is the goal, and there aren’t expected to be any returning players from the 2022 team.

“I kind of wish you let the fall (season) get over with so you know more what you’re getting,” she said.

Again, there are bound to be players from UNCG.

“How can we not?” the new GM said. “We should have some good ones as well.”

She has also been in contact regarding players from Campbell, Clemson, Coastal Carolina, Elon, Liberty, North Carolina A&T, North Carolina State and Texas Christian.

The latest renovation of McCrary Park – this time involving a new grandstand, restrooms and concessions area – is another perk for the front office.

“I know it’s bittersweet to see the old (grandstand) go,” she said. “The new stadium is going to have endless possibilities.”

Korey Dunbar headshot

Former Division I college players take roles with ZooKeepers staff

, , , ,

Korey Dunbar will be the head head coach of the Asheboro ZooKeepers

ASHEBORO – A new coaching staff has been selected for the Asheboro ZooKeepers and there’s regional college flavor involved in those selections.

Former North Carolina catcher Korey Dunbar will be the head coach. Ex-North Carolina State pitcher Josh Pike will be the 2023 pitching coach.

The ZooKeepers are a Coastal Plain League team.

Dunbar, who has been on Barton College’s coaching staff for three seasons, played for North Carolina from 2012-15. That included a trip to the College World Series in 2013.

“I am extremely grateful and excited for the opportunity to lead the Asheboro ZooKeepers for the 2023 season,” Dunbar said in information from the team. “I can’t wait to make an impact on the incoming talented players, the Asheboro community, and the entire ZooKeepers fan base.”

Dunbar takes over for Jeremy Knight, who stepped aside from summer college baseball after spending several years on those circuits. He was Asheboro’s head coach the past two years.

Dunbar was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 39th round out of high school and again by the Miami Marlins in the 20th round after his playing days at North Carolina. During college, he was a member of the CPL’s Wilson Tobs in 2013 and played in the Cape Cod League in 2014.

Josh Pike spent one season with N.C. State a player before transitioning into coaching. He was the USA Collegiate National Team bullpen coach in 2022 after a year of being the team’s pitching technician. Pike, who went to the College World Series with the Wolfpack in 2021, is well-versed in analytics, according to information from the ZooKeepers.

“Having the opportunity to coach in the CPL is something I will not take for granted,” Pike said. “I can’t thank the ownership and management enough for their support and passion for the game of baseball. (Next) summer, we are going to create an exciting baseball environment that breeds from a competitive culture while being conducive to player development. I’m more than excited to get the ball rolling and win as a ZooKeeper.”

The ZooKeepers were previously the Asheboro Copperheads until last winter’s change of nickname amid a revamped marketing campaign. The team plays at McCrary Park, which is undergoing a second consecutive offseason of renovations.

Alec Allred headshot

Former Ramseur man runs summer baseball circuit for college-age players

, , , , , ,

Alec Allred oversees the Old North State League.

 

RAMSEUR –  Alec Allred is making a career out of baseball and it’s not on the field.

He’s the president of the Old North State League, a summer college circuit that wrapped up what he called a successful season earlier this summer.

“This is my full-time job now, trying to coordinate everything,” Allred said. “It’s a lot that goes into it, but it’s a ton of fun.”

Allred, 27, is from Ramseur and a 2014 graduate of Faith Christian. His family has largely overseen Eastern Randolph Post 81’s program on the American Legion level in recent years.

So finding a role in baseball seemed like a natural pursuit, Allred said. After high school, he had a redshirt year at North Carolina A&T followed by a season at Rockingham Community College and then a couple of seasons with Division III Peace College. Then came time in some independent leagues.

“I’m done playing,” he said. “I held on as long as I could.”

He saw other opportunities, particularly when it came to filling a niche for college-aged players in a wooden bat league. The ONSL began with eight teams and 125 players in 2019, using two fields. One of those was Craven Stadium in Ramseur.

Then during the 2020 pandemic-ravaged season, the ONSL fielded eight teams with bigger rosters and spread out.

“Those other leagues shut down and we were getting guys who had a higher calibre (of experience),” Allred said.

The Ramseur site is no longer used in the ONSL, but the 2022 version of the league had 13 teams with about 400 players. Last Monday, another team was added with a club in Clayton.

Allred, who now lives in Whispering Pines and conducts baseball lessons in the offseason, said he could envision the league growing to 18 teams.

It takes about $40,000 annually to run each team. Players are required to pay to play, but that might tend to create a commitment to stick without throughout the two-month season. Host families help with out-of-area players.

“We’re climbing and slowly getting better players,” Allred said. “My goal is to make it free for players. … You’re always trying to be better and get the league to new heights,”

The venues used by the league are vastly different from city to city. The High Point Hushpuppies play at Truist Point, which is the permanent home of the Atlantic League’s High Point Rockers. High school fields are used in Sanford and Shallotte, while facilities are well past their primes in places such as Reidsville and Swepsonville.

“There’s definitely a big variety of stadiums,” Allred said. “You have some old mill-league fields.”

Rosters generally hold about 30-some players.

Most of the ONSL players come from Division II, Division III or junior colleges – or are about to join teams on those levels. Allred said he has embraced an underdog mentality.

“I do get a little partial to the smaller-school guys,” he said.

Largely, players compete for teams that are local to where they live. About 25 percent of players come from out of the area, Allred said.

The Sandhills Bogeys, who are based in Pinehurst, won the 2022 championship, beating the Hendersonville Honeycrisps in the final.

Load More