MORRISTOWN, Tenn. — Despite losing a sizable chunk of production from the most prolific offense in program history and some of the top pitchers from one of the best pitching units at the school, Walters State enters the 2019 baseball season in a familiar position — ranked amongst the elite in the nation.
The Senators, coming off a 60-8 season and a national runner-up finish at the JUCO World Series, will begin the new year ranked in the top five in all three junior college baseball national rankings, holding down the No. 2 spot in the NJCAA Preseason Division I poll, the No. 3 spot in the JuCo Baseball Blog rankings and the No. 5 spot by Perfect Game USA.
Those are lofty prognostications for a team looking to replace quite a bit of talent, as Walters State had 17 players depart to play for Division I schools after last season. But with a load of talent waiting in the wings to show what they can do, plus a solid signing class and a deep pitching staff, Senators coach Dave Shelton, who has averaged 50 wins a season in his five years as head coach, sees no reason this team can't compete for a ninth appearance in the World Series.
"We have a talented team, there's no doubt, but we can't get caught up in trying to compare ourselves to last year or even live up to what that team did," Shelton said. "This is a new season and a new team, and although we probably won't score as many runs as we did last year or hit it as well as that team did, this team is built to compete for a chance to make it to the World Series.
"I know my expectations have not changed at all. I want to go to the World Series every year, and this team has worked hard in preparation for the season. I look forward to seeing just what they can do once we get started this weekend."
The season begins Saturday afternoon with a 4 p.m. first pitch on the road against USC Salkehatchie in Allendale, South Carolina. Following a doubleheader on Sunday, the Senators will head to the Sunshine State for a four-game weekend at two-time defending national champion Chipola. WSCC will face the Indians twice on the trip in a rematch of last year's JUCO World Series national championship game.
The Senators will also face Georgia Highlands on the road before opening the home slate at Ken Campbell Field on Feb. 13 against King University. WSCC has a scheduled trip to Sumter, South Carolina on Feb. 23-24 to face Florida State College at Jacksonville, Potomac State, Florence-Darlington Tech and USC Sumter before opening Tennessee Community College Athletic Association play at home against Chattanooga State on March 1-2.
WSCC will have home league series against Volunteer State, Dyersburg State and Motlow State in addition to the visit from Chattanooga State while traveling to Jackson State, Southwest Tennessee, Roane State, Cleveland State and Columbia State this season.
"We have a loaded schedule again, and it all starts with USC Salkehatchie, who is always a tough opponent to begin the season with," Shelton said. "We follow that with a trip to Chipola to take on Florida Southwestern and Chipola, and we all know how good Chipola is and how much playing them helps not only us, but them too. We play four teams who compete to go to the World Series when we go to Sumter, and then we have 27 games in our league. I like that this schedule will challenge us, and we will probably take some lumps in that first month, but hopefully it gets us ready and we are hitting on all cylinders when league play starts that first weekend in March."
Shelton is counting on a deep pitching staff this season as the offense finds its way early on against the loaded front end of the schedule. Alex Haynes, Gage Gillian and Bubba Hubbard all saw action last season, with Haynes expected to be the staff's No. 1 starter as the season begins and Gillian to sure up the back end as the closer.
South Carolina transfer Corey Stone and Dyersburg State transfer Kody Davidson are both options for Shelton and his staff to use as starters on the weekend or middle of the week, with Davidson possibly being a setup guy for Gillian out of the bullpen. Freshmen arms include Seth Caldwell, Zach Joyce, Andrew Lindsey, Spartanburg Methodist transfer and redshirt Dillon Phillips, redshirt Blake Petty and Zebby Matthews, who Shelton said has been one of the more solid pitchers through the fall and winter.
Drew Vaden, a redshirt sophomore transfer from Hiwassee, and Jack Collins, a sophomore transfer from College of Charleston, will also look for action on the hill.
"I believe this pitching staff could be the deepest one we have ever had here," Shelton said. "We have several guys who are capable of stepping into starting roles, and we have pitchers who will strike out a bunch of guys and others who will put the ball in the right place to get outs. This group is deep and talented, and I'm excited to see what the season holds for them."
In the infield, Bryce Hodge appears to have locked down the job at first base, while Jerry Hammonds will be at second base, Michael Robinson will be the shortstop and Drew Haynie, a breakout star in the second half of 2018, will man the hot corner at third. In addition, JL Bland will be behind the plate the majority of the time, while Logan Hullette, Max Riemer and Tucker Pate will battle for playing time at the catcher's spot as well. Jacob Jennings will see some action in the infield while also starting the season as the designated hitter, while Braydon Runion, South Carolina transfer Mason Streater and Parker Stinnett are all listed as infielders and outfielders. Kentucky transfer Brayden Combs will look for playing time at first base also.
In the outfield, returnees Alex Bibb and Xavier Arnette will be in left and center field, respectively, while Seth Gardner will likely be the man in right. Other outfielders include Silas Butler, with Streater and Stinnett as options as well.
"The thing that strikes me about this team is how good they are on defense," Shelton said. "We're not going to be the team that goes out and lights up the scoreboard to beat you, but we will work hard and play well on defense and not make many mistakes behind our pitchers. If we do that, then we have a great chance to be successful."
Shelton has preached to this team they cannot compete with teams of the past at Walters State, but he reminds them every day when they walk onto the field on campus and look at the tradition sign in left field beyond the outfield wall, they are playing to continue the winning ways and build on what those past teams have built as a legacy at Walters State.
"This is the 2019 Walters State team, and it doesn't matter what last year's team, the team four years ago or any other team before this one has done because it's a new year," Shelton said. "Having a ranking beside our name is nice, but now you have to go out and compete with a bulls-eye on you every game. I like having that kind of pressure on us because of what we have done in the past, and we will see if these guys will respond in the way I think they are capable of. It's going to be an exciting year, and I'm looking forward to getting it started."