Baseball off to quick start in 2015

Jackson Fuller | Staff Writer

UNCW baseball head coach Mark Scalf knows it’s early in the 2015 season, but he couldn’t be more pleased with his team’s start to the season.

Through six games the Seahawks (6-0) are undefeated and showing they can beat teams in a variety of ways.

“We’ve been doing a good job of executing and finding a way to win ballgames regardless of the situation,” Scalf said Sunday after the team’s 8-4 victory over Wake Forest.

One of UNCW’s most consistent styles of play this year is small-ball. The 2015 Seahawks have more speed than in years past and are taking advantage of their athleticism.

The Seahawks have stolen 10 bases through six games after only stealing 39 all of last year. Coach Scalf is also calling for more sacrifice bunts and hit-and-runs this season in a hope to create some offense.

“It puts pressure on the defense,” UNCW junior Terence Connelly said. “These guys can scoot… We’ve got a few guys that run and it makes the game enjoyable to watch.”

Connelly and Robbie Thorburn are the top two hitters thus far for UNCW despite hitting in the bottom half of the order. Connelly is hitting .421 while Thorburn sits at .500 with a home run and 5 RBI’s.

Seven of UNCW’s nine normal starters are hitting at or above .300.

“When everyone in the lineup is hitting well it instills confidence in everyone,” Thorburn said.

However, the biggest offseason storyline was UNCW’s pitching staff and how it would replace the departed Mat Batts.

Coach Scalf came into the season hoping a revamped bullpen would give his starters the luxury of only needing to pitch five or six innings before handing the ball over to a reliever.

The starters continue to be a question mark, but the bullpen is dominating so far in 2015. UNCW’s relievers have a 2.00 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 36 innings pitched.

“It’s nice as a starter to know you have those guys waiting in the bullpen,” UNCW Sunday starter Evan Phillips said. “It gives you confidence as a starter that if you can somehow get them the lead, they’re going to find a way to shut it down.”

The Seahawks already have wins against Wake Forest, Western Carolina, and Ball State, three teams who all have high hopes to make it to a regional this season.

UNCW has potentially its two biggest tests of the season in the coming weeks. The Seahawks will travel to 22nd ranked Florida State on Friday for a three-game series before hosting the 18th ranked Maryland Terrapins the following weekend in another three-game set.