Wolves talented all facets

WESSON, Miss. - The Copiah-Lincoln Community College baseball team looks to build on the team's 2019 winning record that ended with 21 wins to 20 losses. Despite the winning season, the Wolves just missed out on playoffs, a goal this year's club hopes to reach. 

"Playoffs are always our goal," said Co-Lin head coach Clay Smith. "We had a great fall and our guys are close in the locker room and are very competitive. We know what we are capable of doing, and that is to be in the playoffs and give ourselves an opportunity to compete for a regional and national championship."

This year's team has a healthy balance of sophomores and freshmen to guide the team and provide the spark for big games. 

"We have a group of sophomores that played a lot as freshmen and really developed their game," said Smith. "That kind of experience goes a long way in this league, and our freshmen are all very talented, especially in pitching. It's a really good balance to have."

The pitching staff is deep for the Wolves in 2020 with 14 listed pitchers and a host of defensive players that can see time on the mound. 

"Depth is huge in this league when it comes to pitching, we play double-headers every time we take the field so this allows us to have guys come in during certain situations," said Smith. "Not only do we have a deep staff, but we have guys we can count through the whole roster."

Offensively, the Wolves hit 28 homers and posted a team batting average of .283 a year ago, but these are numbers that the Co-Lin coaching staff looks to improve on this year with several hitting leaders returning for sophomore seasons. 

"We want to see more power at the plate," said Smith. "We have put on some strength, and we have a history of being good on the bases, so we look to be as aggressive as ever."

Defensively, the Wolves were very solid a year ago with a .931 fielding percentage, and the squad looks to provide more solid gloves in 2020. 

"Defense is going to be one of our strengths this year as we are shooting to field .950," said Smith. "We had several freshmen errors last season that came in clumps, so that is something we are looking to limit this year." 

Trey Frierson returns to Co-Lin's line up after leading the MACJC in batting average with a .421 through 107 at-bats. The sophomore captain from Canton looks to be a top of the lineup bat in 2020 and improve on his stellar numbers from a year ago.

Joshua Day, who is also a team captain, provides another big bat in the lineup. Day finished with a .523 slugging percentage and drove in 34 runs a year ago with four home runs. The Natchez native has drawn the attention of several Major League scouts and will be a leader for the Wolves in the field and at the plate. 

Brooks Italiano is a true baseball player that gets everything out of his ability in the field and at the plate. As a freshman, the Ridgeland native hit .343 and posted 22 RBIs. As a team captain, Italiano will fill an infield role and provide leadership on the team.

Clint Stephens is another sophomore looking to make a difference in 2020. Stephens is a hard-working player that can play nearly any position. As a freshman, he drove in seven runs and posted two triples. 

Justin Johnson, a Northwest Rankin High School graduate, returns to the lineup for his sophomore season. Johnson, pound-for-pound is very strong and provides a big bat and will see action in an outfield role. His game has matured this offseason, and he looks to improve on his four home runs and 23 RBIs he posted a year ago. 

Landry McQueen is another returning player that is very athletic and can play anywhere on the field. The sophomore from Collins drove in six RBIs in 41 at-bats last season and looks to boost those numbers this year.

Kylar Fielder is a steady first baseman that returns to the lineup after playing in 21 games last season. The West Lincoln product batted .297 last year, but the coaching staff expects big things from the sophomore at the plate in 2020. 

Joining the returning Wolves in the field is a host of talented freshmen that look to make an immediate impact on the club and battle for starting roles. 

Will Lawson Harkins is a Leake Academy product from Carthage. Harkins is a utility type player that can see action in the infield or outfield. He is known for his hard work that he puts in and is a great runner. 

Marquez Hudson is yet another jack-of-all-trades player that can use his athletism to play in all parts of the field. The freshman from Monticello is very strong and has a lot of pop in his bat that can make a difference in the lineup. 

Peyton Parker comes to Co-Lin from West Monroe, La. and provides a dual-threat as a right-handed pitcher and third baseman. The freshman provides a solid glove on the corner and can hit well which makes him extremely versatile. 

Hunter Estes, a Lamar Christian High School graduate, is listed as a utility player but is very solid behind the plate and at first base. Estes has a high baseball IQ and knows how to excel wherever he is needed.  

Keagan Ward, a catcher from Laurel, has all the tools needed to be a solid catcher as a freshman and can throw the ball well. The 6'0, 190-pound East Central transfer looks to make a difference for the Wolves behind the plate. 

Cade Lowery is a catcher from Wesson that had a great fall season for the Wolves. Lowery has a great bat and can easily be used as a designated hitter. 

Trey Forsythe is a transfer from Southwest Mississippi that has a lot of tools as a player. The D'Iberville native can fill roles in the infield or behind the plate and has a bat that can be in the middle of the lineup.

Returning to the mound are several sophomores that threw solid innings a year ago. 

Brandon Brown, a righty from Grand Bay, Ala. threw just 17.1 innings last season, but racked up 25 strikeouts. Brown returns to the staff and looks to be a big arm for the Wolves in 2020. 

Konner Allen split time last season between pitching and first, but will most likely just be toeing the rubber in 2020. The right-hander from Brookhaven will be a solid arm after posting a 4.5 ERA and 24 strikeouts as a freshman through just 34 innings. 

Cameron Hill is another strong arm returning to the staff. Hill tossed 32.1 innings as a freshman and rung up 22 batters. The D'Iberville native will be out of the pen a lot for Co-Lin this season and is solid six to nine out pitcher. 

Adie Goodman returns to the roster in 2020 after six appearances last season. The Meridian native is coming off surgery, but the coaching staff will be counting him as a solid right arm. 

Tucker Jones is another returning sophomore to the pitching staff. Jones threw just 4.1 innings during his freshman campaign but fanned six batters in that span. The Pearl High School graduate is a quality bullpen arm that is extremely competitive. 

Lane Hanna, a sophomore from Union, was limited a year ago due to injury but struck out seven batters through 11 innings in eight appearances. Hanna is a strike-thrower that adds even more to Co-Lin's experienced staff.

Jay Smith, a sophomore left-hander, returns for his second year after making 10 appearances as a freshman. The Copiah Academy product looks to fill a much larger role this year and will be a major factor out of the pen. Smith commanded the zone during the fall and will serve as a team captain. 

Bryce Henry is a side-arm right-hander that has a knack for getting batters out. The sophomore from Florance made nine appearances as a freshman and will be a situation pitcher for the Wolves in 2020. 

Joining the deep pitching staff is several talented arms that can command the strike zone and battle for different roles. 

Weston Acey is a redshirt sophomore that transferred from East Mississippi that has a strong arm. The Terry native looks to be a leader on the staff and a solid right arm.

Sevante Quinn is a Brookhaven High School multi-sport high school athlete that can control the ball. The athletic righty is a strong addition to the Wolves in 2020.

Micah Parker is another dual-threat player joining the Wolves. The Kosciusko native is a well-built player that provides a great arm in relief or as a closer, but his athletic ability will allow him to also get some time in the outfield. 

Rhett Blackburn, an Oak Grove High School graduate, is a strong right-handed bullpen arm. The 6'2 freshman's velocity shot up over the fall and will make an immediate impact on the team. 

Caleb St. Martin is a right-hander from Paulina, La. that will be battling for a starting spot during his freshman campaign that the coaches will be counting a lot. 

Caleb Rutledge is a 6'5 righty with a lot of arm strength. The Calhoun, La. native is another freshman that will be fighting for a starting role. 

Hunter Reinike, a Copiah Academy graduate, provides a spark to the staff. The right-hander has improved immensely throughout the fall and will be a strong arm from the pen. 

Bryston West of Purvis rounds out the incoming pitchers. He is another righty that has developed over the year and is a very hard worker. West provides yet another strong arm from the bullpen. 

The Wolves had three players ink with four-year programs from last season including Conner Ingram who signed with Spring Hill College, Austin Tidwell to Louisiana Tech, and Ran Zimmerman to Northwestern State University. 

Seventh-year head coach Clay Smith is joined this year by assistant coach and pitching coach Bryan Nobile. This is Nobile's 16th season with the Wolves. He also serves as the college's Athletic Director and Assistant Dean of Students. Jack Edmonson also returns for his fourth year as an assistant coach. 

"We have a great group of guys that have good chemistry together," said Smith. "We have a good mix of freshmen and sophomores, depth in the bullpen, and a lot of guys that we can put in the lineup without any drop off in talent. Last year was a winning season so we are making progress in win totals and we hope to continue that this season."

With a talented lineup from top to bottom, returning hitting leaders, solid gloves in the field, and a deep pitching staff the 2020 Wolves are prone for another solid season of baseball at Sullivan Field and are itching for an MACJC playoff berth.