2022 ABCA All-American first baseman Josh Benfield rounds the bases during a game last season for St. Andrews. Benfield elected to return to the Knights this season for his senior year.
Photo| Barbara Tortorici
LAURINBURG — The St. Andrews Knights baseball team closed out its 2021-22 season on a five-game losing streak, which included back-to-back losses in the Appalachian Athletic Conference Tournament, and fell short of making their first regional since joining the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in 2012, despite finishing with a 37-17 record.
As the Knights reset this season with familiar faces, but a younger team, they’ll keep their usual expectations of winning and playing postseason baseball.
“We’ve got a saying around here: we want to still be playing baseball in the middle (of) or the end of May,” said Andy Fox, who enters his seventh season as head coach of the Knights. “Our (goals are) the same as (they are) every year; we want to finish in the top half of conference, we want to make the conference tournament, and, then, we want to go to a regional. We do have some at-large bids (for regionals) and, just like last year, I thought we should have got an at-large bid…and for one reason or another, we didn’t get one.”
Only eight juniors and seniors represent the Knights 57-man roster this year, which will have Fox relying on a lot of youth.
Fox believes they are extremely talented in some areas, but could struggle in others.
“There’s some uncertainty,” Fox said. “I think we’re gonna be very athletic…but I do think we’re gonna have to work to score some runs.”
With the lack of certainty, Fox has his young guys buying into the team’s ‘blue collar’ attitude.
“My biggest thing is getting kids to buy-in to a blue collar philosophy,” Fox said. “That means being scrappy, that means playing the game hard and the right way, (and) playing the game smart. Pretty much what we talk about is controlling your attitude and your effort level; you always have control of your attitude and your effort level that you give everyday. With the amount of new kids that we have, we’ve spent a lot of time in getting them to buy-in to that philosophy. We don’t just say it, we’re about it. I think the guys have really bought-in to what we do.”
Key losses from last season include shortstop Noah Lawson, infielder Nate Vigeant, third baseman Jaxon Snider, outfielder Kris Allen, catcher Greg Izzo, and right-handed pitcher Brent Kline.
The Knights do, however, return 2022 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) All-American first baseman Josh Benfield, who had 16 home runs, a .387 batting average, and a .774 slugging percentage a season ago.
“He’s that type of guy that does everything the right way; a hard worker,” Fox said.
In addition to Benfield, center fielder Chance Blum, who Fox called “an everyday starter,” returns for the Knights.
Fox, however, hasn’t decided who the rest of his starters will be yet.
“We have a lot of depth and we will most likely give several guys opportunities to start with,” Fox said. “I could see a different lineup every weekend. Whoever makes the most of their opportunities will be the starters going forward.”
A pitching staff that returns everyone, except Kline, from last year will be featured for St. Andrews this season; most notably Scotland High School alumnus Tyler Barfield.
“I could probably go 15 to 20 arms deep and feel pretty good,” Fox said. “A lot of those guys did a really good job for us last year. I would say some of the top ones in that group would be Tyler Barfield…(and) Josiah Barhite, (who) was a weekend starter for us last year. And, last year, it was just a combination of a lot of young guys getting a lot of big innings for us. So, fortunately for us, a lot of those guys are back this year. I think we’re gonna be very competitive on the mound.”
The Knights had 11 players transfer in during the offseason with notable players including infielder Dallas Trevina, from Chowan University, utility Drake Davidson, from Lincoln College, outfielder Jude Drzemiecki, from University of Virginia Wise, and right-handed pitcher C.J. Harrison, from Young Harris College.
J.R. Polak, an infielder for the Knights from 2017-21, is in his first year as an assistant coach for Fox’s staff, as well.
The Knights’ opening day is up in the air due to potential heavy rain and cold weather later in the week, which caused their Feb. 2 original opening day matchup against Indiana University Kokomo to be cancelled.
Nonetheless, Fox said he’s ready to see what his team looks like on opening day.
“I’m excited for the season,” he said. “I can’t promise you what the scoreboard’s gonna look like, but I can promise you that we’re gonna play hard and play the game the right way.”
*A St. Andrews softball preview will not be available due to unforeseen circumstances.*
Reach Brandon Hodge at [email protected]