First in a series of reports on local baseball teams …

By Mike London
mike.london@salisburypost.com

MOUNT ULLA — West Rowan baseball coach Seth Graham has built such a stout program that the Falcons unexpectedly shared the 2023 South Piedmont Conference championship with a young team.

Most of the Falcons are back from a resilient 19-7 squad that won 12 of 14 in the always challenging SPC. West didn’t appear as strong as co-champion East on paper, but West won two of the three meetings.

Graham relishes over-achieving in the underdog role, but this time West may be the favorite.

“We do have high expectations for this season,” Graham said.

West returns most of its pitching. East doesn’t. East has the county’s best hitter in Cobb Hightower, but West has an experienced lineup.

“I’d say West is the team to beat,” Carson coach Kyle Bridges said. “But there are a lot of good teams. There were well-played games in our fall league, especially the tournament,  games that were as good as spring games.”

It will start on the mound for the Falcons.

“The deepest pitching staff we’ve had since I’ve been here,” said Graham, who is entering his 10th season at the helm of the Falcons. “We’ve got 85 percent of our innings back. We’ve got 90 percent of our wins back.”

The pitchers who accounted for 17 of West’s 19 wins are still around.

Corbin Bailey won six times and posted a 1.74 ERA as an All-SPC pitcher. Brant Graham, a talented sophomore, pitched in big games as a freshman. Alex Hagler has lots of American Legion experience. All-SPC Drew Burton (4-1, 3 saves) can start or relieve. Sophomore Maddox Moore made some starts as a freshman. Cole Blevins is the hardest thrower on the staff (up to 88 mph). Luke Ponczka, Eli Graham, Brice Knox and Chase Fisher make it a very deep staff.

West will miss thumping catcher Matt Connolly, but Coach Graham expects junior Gaige Scruggs to take charge behind the plate. Scruggs will get help from Lucas Watts and freshman Brody Pope.

As is usually the case with the Falcons, there will be lots of moving parts depending on who’s pitching.

Burton, who batted .323 with 22 RBIs, will be the starting third baseman, When he’s on the mound, Brant Graham or Fisher will play third.

Knox’s  glove has been ahead of his bat so far, but this could be his breakout year. The junior will be in his third season as the starting shortstop. Senior Andrew Heimbold is set to be Knox’s double-play partner. He’ll be filling big shoes. Lucas Graham was quite a hitter.

Ponczka will provide power at first base. Burton can play first base when Ponczka pitches.

Blevins, who batted .324 with 11 extra-base hits as a freshman, is on track to be one of the county’s biggest stars. The left fielder was tough for pitchers to handle late last season.

Moore, who plays for the South Charlotte Panthers in the summer, will man center field unless he’s pitching.

Eli Graham or Ty Martin will man right field. Both will probably play in the outfield when Blevins or Moore pitches. Carson Doby will also get time in the outfield.

Talton Correll can swing the bat. The senior is a DH and pinch-hitting option.

Louis Kraft, Patrick Hampton, Cole Weiss and Wesley Beckham are assisting Graham. The team manager is Clark Hinkle.

“We’ve had scrimmages against good Oak Grove and South Iredell clubs, and those games were well-played,” Coach Graham said. “I know our guys are ready to get this thing started. We’ve got good leadership from our older players, and while we’re still young overall, our guys do look like veterans.”

That’s Coach Graham’s polite way of saying the Falcons are really good, but he’s not making any lofty predictions.

He is the all-time winningest coach for West baseball, so he’s seen some good teams representing the Falcons, including three straight 20-win seasons from 2015-17.  This could be one of his better team.

“I’m always conservative when it comes to evaluating a team, because you’d always rather be surprised than disappointed,” Graham said. “But, as a staff, we do like this team. We should have some fun with this bunch.”

West Rowan baseball glance

Coach: Seth Graham (10th season, 141-63).

Top returners: Cole Blevins, Corbin Bailey, Drew Burton, Brice Knox

Key losses: Lucas Graham, Matthew Connolly

2023 record: 19-7, 12-2, tied for first 3A South Piedmont Conference

Playoffs: Lost 2nd round to Oak Grove

Conference regular-season championships: 1960, 1961, 1969, 1974, 1994, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2023

Opening Day: Feb. 26 vs. Lake Norman Charter