MIDWAY, Ky. -- After months of waiting and anticipation, the Midway University baseball team packed their bags and headed south to Mobile, Alabama on Friday morning as they get set to open the 2020 season this weekend at the University of Mobile.
The Eagles and the Rams were originally scheduled to play their series on Friday and Saturday, but inclement weather on Friday forced the series to be pushed back to Saturday and Sunday.
The trip down south marks the fourth straight year that Luther Bramblett has taken his team to Mobile to open the season. The 2019 season saw the Eagles go 2-2 against the Rams which was their best result since the two began their series back in 2017.
Midway finished the 2019 season at 27-27 overall and 14-13 in River States Conference play as they made their third consecutive trip to Chillicothe, Ohio for the RSC Tournament. The Eagles posted two wins in the tournament on their way to finishing third.
Bramblett lost five position players from that 2019 team, but they return some key pieces both in the field and on the mound, while they've added some transfers and some young talent who could step in and play right away.
Senior, Jonathan Hook (Tamarac, Fla.) and junior, Graeham Luttor (Toronto, Canada) headline the list of returners after they were named 'NAIA Players to Watch' by Collegiate Baseball.
Hook appeared in 17 games on the mound posting a perfect 4-0 record with a 4.26 ERA in his 31.2 innings pitched. He also posted 30 strikeouts with one save on the year. Luttor dealt with an injury and was in-and-out of the lineup throughout the season as he appeared in just 34 games with eight home runs and four doubles, while adding 31 runs driven in.
The Eagles also return the services of seniors, Noah Marion (Louisville, Ky.), Tyson Orr (Nashville, Tenn.) and Tyrin Orr (Nasvhille, Tenn.) along with sophomore, Cameron Nichols (Owensboro, Ky.) – all of which appeared in 30 plus games last season.
Pitching
As has been the case in the last couple of years, the biggest question mark for Bramblett is going to be on the mound. The Eagles return seven arms from 2019 accounting for 198 of the 429.2 innings pitched. Five of the seven arms appeared in significant innings both in a starting role and out of the bullpen.
Seniors, Mark Taylor (Cynthiana, Ky.) and Anibal Salado (Santo Domingo, D.R.) are back after pitching 50 plus innings last year combining to make 20 starts. Jonathan Hook made 17 appearances out of the bullpen, while he's joined by fellow seniors, Andy Melgoza (Oxnard, Calif.) and Noah Marion who made 16 and nine appearances out of the pen, respectively.
Juniors, Mitchell Kreidenweis (Independence, Ky.) and Cameron McAnally (Owenton, Ky.) are also back and are expected to see time out of the bullpen.
"We have some experienced arms back who have the capability to keep us in the game and close games out," said Bramblett. "We also have some guys who will be thrust into roles that they're either new to or they haven't experienced yet at the collegiate level."
Bramblett added, "We have some guys that will see some opportunities early and we'll see how they handle it."
Freshman, Dillon Bland (Glendale, Ky.) and Matthew Johnston (Mount Juliet, Tenn.) will likely see some innings, while Skylar Lucas (Elizabethtown, Ky.) and Ryan Davis (Paris, Ky.) are two-way players who could see time on the mound. Junior, Jonathan Gillock (Liberty, Ky.) is another guy who could see time on the mound.
Infield
The Eagles return three infielders who played significant time in 2019. Midway will need to replace the services of two-time All-Conference catcher, Koy Lindsey as well as Layne Peavler and Zach Lampreia who were all lost to graduation.
Junior transfer, Parker Walker (Minesing, Ontario) and freshman, Casey Brown (Louisville, Ky.) will likely both see time behind the plate, while senior, Corey Plahuta (Mt. Washington, Ky.) and junior, Graeham Luttor will see time at first along with junior, Austin Faris (Paris, Ky.).
When Marion isn't on the mound, he could see time at second and shortstop, while seniors, Tyrin Orr and Marquise Glenn (Atlanta, Ga.) are also versatile infielders who could play multiple positions..
Freshman, Luke Logan (Elizabethtown, Ky.), John Davis (Princeton, Ky.), and Skylar Lucas could also see time in the infield.
Outfield
Senior, Tyson Orr leads the outfield after appearing in 51 games last season, while sophomore, Cameron Nichols is also back after making his way into the starting role towards the end of last year.
After sitting out 2019, sophomore, Ryan Davis is back and will likely play significant time, while freshman, Ethan Boyles (Colorado Springs, Colo.) could see time as a defensive replacement as well running for the catcher as a courtesy runner. Senior, Payton Durham (Nicholasville, Ky.) could also see time in the outfield.
"Defensively, I think we have a chance to be pretty solid," said Bramblett. "I also think we have good depth, but it's unproven depth."
Bramblett added, "We had a pretty good fall and we've been able to get on the field more than we have in years past in the spring, but now it's time to see what we can do against outside competition."
Following the trips to Alabama and Tennessee to open the season, the Eagles play 15 of the next 16 at home as they christen in Tracy Farmer – Don Ball Stadium which will host it's first-ever game on Feb. 12 when Midway plays host to Thomas More (Ky.).
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