Early experience key for Indians in 2016
Adam Gore/LetsGoICC.com
FULTON, MS – Early experience for a roster filled with freshmen will be the key for ICC this season as the Indians look to return to their winning ways in 2016 after finishing 19-17 last season and missing out on the playoffs for the second-straight season.
At the Plate
ICC returns a small group of sophomores to its lineup that will need to quickly grow into more prevalent roles in 2016. Timothy Rowe (Hernando) and Ty Wheeler (Tupelo) will be the primary sources of offense for the Indians. Rowe batted .278 with 33 RBI to go along with seven doubles and four home runs in 126 at-bats as a freshman. Wheeler, who came on strong late last season, hit .286 in 35 plate appearances. Rowe and Wheeler were both selected as Top Returning Position Players in the Region by the NJCAA. Coach Rick Collier also looks for Drake Rowton (Marion, AR) and Dalton Hudspeth (Louisville) to build on the successes of last season to take on a more prominent role at the plate.
On the Bump
One of the most crucial factors in the new state-wide playoff format is depth in the pitching rotation. The Indians brought in 10 new arms to add to the six returning sophomores pitchers to take on the grueling conference schedule. Nick Burns (Mantachie) and Jonas White (Lewisburg) earned Top Returning Pitcher accolades by the NJCAA. Burns went 3-2 on the season with 19 strikeouts in 30 innings of work while White notched a 2-2 record and a 3.50 ERA. Trenton Stringer (Stringer) looks to have a break out season after finishing 4-3 with 44 strikeouts and a 4.37 ERA as a freshman. ICC added Ole Miss transfer Blake Bennett (Memphis, TN) to the rotation along with Blake Appel (Gulfport) and Macen McGee (Pope) along with eight position players with pitching backgrounds in Russ Payne (Fulton), Cory Murphy (Amory), Keith Stepter (Hernando), John Morgan Payne (Belmont), Hayden Guin (Nettleton), Stephon Moore (West Point), Kaleb Barnes (Pontotoc) and JT Salters (Bay Minette, AL).
Fresh Faces in Fulton
Nineteen of the 28 players on this season's roster are freshmen. The NJCAA named Salters, Stepter and Bryan Malone (Belmont) as three of the Top Incoming Freshman in the region and recognized Bennett and Mississippi State transfer Delvin Zinn (Pontotoc) as two of the region's Top 4-Year Transfers. Ben Seay (Mooreville), Austin Carpenter (Belmont), Brandon Williams (Grenada), Johnathan Waycaster (Hatley), Tyreque Reed (Houlka) and Cody Pate (Amory) will all have a shot at making their marks on the team early in the season.
New Season, Tough Quest
The schedule lays out nicely for the Indians with ten of the first 12 games being played in the friendly confines of Cresap Field. Early season doubleheaders against traditional powers Calhoun (AL) and Lake Land (IL) will be a great litmus test for the youth-filled roster. As far as the MACJC Championship is concerned, the road will not be an easy one for any team in the league with Hinds, who spent eight weeks at the No. 1 spot last season, Northwest and Jones County getting the preseason nod from the NJCAA at making a run at the conference title. ICC will open the season against Motlow State (TN) on Saturday, February 13 before hitting the road for a pair of games at the historic USA Stadium in Arlington, Tennessee.
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