BASEBALL TAB -- C.B. Aycock preview

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on March 15, 2014 11:12 PM

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PIKEVILLE -- Oftentimes, Charles B. Aycock head coach Charles Davis sees his players split among travel-ball and showcase teams.

The opportunity to get everyone on the same page occurs the first official day of spring practice.

Not this year.

Davis and some of his county brethren pulled away from the Junior Legion circuit and created the Eastern Carolina Baseball League. The multi-team organization was eventually divided into two divisions and Davis said it has paid dividends for his program.

"We wanted to do something during the summer that didn't interfere with travel ball and showcase," Davis said. "It's been nothing but a positive experience for us. It does build some camaraderie and chemistry (and) with free substitutions, you can put players at different positions and hopefully they see some things that they have to work on.

"I think it was a plus for everybody involved, not only here at Aycock."

And Davis learned something about his players.

"During the offseason, one thing we had to do was get stronger," he said. "Our guys bought into getting into the weight room, especially with the teams we have on our schedule (this season)."

Eight seniors, including seven four-year members of the program, help comprise a 20-player roster. Davis returns his entire infield and two-thirds of his outfield from a year ago.

Behind the plate is Noah West, who posted a team-best .423 batting average last season. The 5-foot-10, 160-pound junior didn't commit an error.

Junior Jake Naughton and senior Ben Rouse will share time at first base. Tim Naugton, freshman Ashton McGee and Trent Herndon are battling for the starting nod at second base. Naughton has been the starter each of the past two years.

Hank Smitherman is a smooth-throwing shortstop and he's anchored by Tim Naughton on the hot corner. Davis said there has been some healthy competition among four players in left field -- Logan Brown, Conner Crandall, Alex Burke and Logan Runyon.

Junior Bobby Hampton is back in center field. Garrett Joyner, who stole 13 bases last season, is in right field along with Hunter Kennedy.

"We've got a down-to-earth, hard-working group of young men," Davis said. "I lost four seniors who were all exceptional leaders. The senior group this year saw how those guys led last year. I think they know what their role is as far as leadership, and so far they've done what we've asked them to do."

Hampton logged a 4-1 record and team-low 1.42 earned run average on the mound last season. Runyon is the only other returnee who notched a win on the bump.

Davis said West could see some pitching time along with Braxton Leeper, the Naughton brothers, Charlie Robertson and his son, Kyle. All played in the ECBL and give Davis depth at a position that is crucial to a team's success.

Aycock had a team ERA of 2.92 last season.

"We're going to have to pitch backwards sometimes," Davis said. "We're learning to have to pitch a little bit early on in the season, and that's expected."

The Golden Falcons are 2-1 overall. They split a non-conference series -- each game decided by one run -- against perennial Big East 3-A power Wilson Hunt. They claimed a mercy-rule shutout win over county foe Rosewood.

Aycock launched its Eastern Carolina 3-A/4-A Conference schedule at home Tuesday against New Bern.

"(Like everyone else) our main goal, once we get some dry weather, is to keep improving every day and by the end of the year, come playoff time, we'll be battle-tested by our schedule," said Davis, whose team is the reigning ECC regular-season and tournament champion.