Ask any coach, anywhere, about the most important element to being successful in baseball and the answer will invariably be pitching.

This year’s UNCW baseball team features a very young pitching staff and, at moments, it has showed. The inexperience was especially evident in the beginning of the season as the team limped to a 0-6 start. But after a few weeks, the Seahawks hurlers came to life, winning ball games for their team and picking up accolades along the way.

Zach Kimball, a junior college transfer from Bellevue, Wash., has been the star, winning two of his last three starts and giving up only three runs in those three games. For his dominating performance, Kimball earned CAA pitcher of the week honors two weeks in a row after posting shutouts against nationally ranked N.C. State and league-foe Delaware.

Kimball’s success has been no surprise to his teammates.

“We knew he had it in him and now he has been lights out. He is going to take us where we want to go,” relief pitcher Blake Cross said.

Alongside Kimball at the top of the staff, junior starter Ronald Hill is throwing the ball well, posting a 5-3 record with a 4.17 ERA and starting a team high nine games on the mound.

The bullpen has also drastically improved and anchored by veteran closer and CAA career saves leader Blake Cross. The senior broke Brandon Inge’s record of 24 earlier in the season against Kent State, and he continues to add to his record with 8 saves this season bringing his career total to 28.

“It’s an accomplishment. It just means that our team has put us in a situation where we are winning at the end of the game and I just come in and do my job,” Cross said. “It’s a good record to have and I’m happy about it.”

Having a reliable closer is key to any baseball team and the UNCW coaching staff is grateful that Blake wears teal and blue and they know that he is something special.

“Blake is Blake. He has confidence in his stuff and he is going to make pitches when he needs to,” coach Mark Scalf said.

“I don’t know if it gets any better than knowing that you have a closer like that in the bullpen,” said pitching coach Scott Jackson.

The Seahawks will be away this weekend at William & Mary for a key three-game weekend series.

Currently UNCW is ranked third in the conference with a 5-3 record.