University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Photo by: UNC Asheville
Preseason Preparations Continue for Bulldog Baseball
02.10.2017 | Baseball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – This time next week, the UNC Asheville baseball team will be just hours away from opening the 2017 season in Birmingham, Ala., at Samford with a three-game series.
The team has been on the field practicing for two weeks and it's not just the coaches that are excited and optimistic for the challenge of a new season, the players are chomping at the bit as well and that positive energy has made the first two weeks of work not only successful, but also fun.
Through the first two weeks, the focus has been about putting the team first. Third-year head coach Scott Friedholm and his staff have been emphasizing that the team comes first if they want to make strides in 2017 and by all accounts, the team has bought in. From the top down, the players are focused on making the whole team better.
"I think the first two weeks of preseason have gone well," senior left-handed pitcher Spencer Orr said. "All of the guys are working hard and keeping that 'team first' mentality. There have been some little things that we need to clean up as far as the basics go, but I think if we continue to work hard like we have been it'll be a good year."
Fellow senior Joe Tietjen echoed Orr's sentiments and took it a step further.
"The team chemistry this year is better than it's ever been," Tietjen said. "The guys are working hard all across the board, our pitching is way ahead of where it used to be and guys are competing out on the field in everything we do. It's really exciting."
When a team has senior leadership like can be found on this year's Bulldog team, there is a trickledown effect. The veterans, seniors, juniors and sophomores, are helping the newcomers. Those eight newcomers in turn have come ready to work and the positive impact is making everyone better at an even quicker pace.
"All the new guys are stepping up into their roles and we're looking a lot better than we did at this time last year," sophomore infielder Carmine Pagano said. "The leadership is a lot better and all the guys are really coming together as one team."
Despite being just a sophomore, Pagano earned a major role on the field as a true freshman last season and can pull from that experience to help this year's freshmen, a group that Friedholm hasn't shied away from saying will see playing time early and often.
Fellow sophomore, right-handed pitcher Ryan Tapp says that while the first two weeks have gone well, everyone will need to remain on the same page and focused throughout the early part of the season and beyond if they wish to continue to make strides.
"The first couple of weeks have gone very well. We've all been working really hard and getting ready for opening weekend," Tapp said. "We just want everyone to be on the same page and work as hard as we can and give everything they have every day, whether that's in practice or in a game."
Pagano expanded on that sentiment, saying, "We just need to stay focused for all nine innings and every single pitch instead of taking a pitch off here and there. Every single pitch needs our entire focus. Once we start to do that, I think this year we will start to see better results."
To do that, Orr knows that the team will need to be able to get over the inevitable humps and tough stretches that come with a 56-game schedule.
"I would say just keeping calm and mature during those tough stretches," Orr said. "A lot of times at the end of a few games last season, we folded when we could have bowed up and taken a big game. Pulling through and winning those tight games at the end is going to be what makes our season just good or great."
To get to that point, the team still has one week left of preseason practice. A critical time when the Bulldogs will continue to work on the little things, but also continue to scrimmage in real-game situations. Those scrimmages have been the most fun says Tapp and Pagano.
"Getting to compete against my teammates has definitely been a lot of fun," Tapp said. "Having everyone competing and showing each other how we expect to compete against outside teams is really exciting."
"It can't get any better than the scrimmages every weekend," Pagano said. "We're just out there competing and getting ready for opening weekend, and it's a lot of fun."
When the first pitch of the regular season is officially thrown out, the team will have put in just three weeks of work since reconvening, but the Bulldogs will draw on their time together in the fall as well to make the team stronger through their bonds.
"Just being out here with this group of guys is my favorite part of it all," Orr said. "I like doing PFPs (pitchers' fielding practice), but the guys really make it all worthwhile."
UNC Asheville opens the season on Friday, Feb. 17, traveling to Birmingham, Ala., to take on Samford in a three-game series. First pitch of the 2017 season is slated for 5 p.m. Eastern standard time. The Bulldogs' home opener is slated for Friday, March 3, against Iona at Greenwood Field, in the first of a three-game series.
The team has been on the field practicing for two weeks and it's not just the coaches that are excited and optimistic for the challenge of a new season, the players are chomping at the bit as well and that positive energy has made the first two weeks of work not only successful, but also fun.
Through the first two weeks, the focus has been about putting the team first. Third-year head coach Scott Friedholm and his staff have been emphasizing that the team comes first if they want to make strides in 2017 and by all accounts, the team has bought in. From the top down, the players are focused on making the whole team better.
"I think the first two weeks of preseason have gone well," senior left-handed pitcher Spencer Orr said. "All of the guys are working hard and keeping that 'team first' mentality. There have been some little things that we need to clean up as far as the basics go, but I think if we continue to work hard like we have been it'll be a good year."
Fellow senior Joe Tietjen echoed Orr's sentiments and took it a step further.
"The team chemistry this year is better than it's ever been," Tietjen said. "The guys are working hard all across the board, our pitching is way ahead of where it used to be and guys are competing out on the field in everything we do. It's really exciting."
When a team has senior leadership like can be found on this year's Bulldog team, there is a trickledown effect. The veterans, seniors, juniors and sophomores, are helping the newcomers. Those eight newcomers in turn have come ready to work and the positive impact is making everyone better at an even quicker pace.
"All the new guys are stepping up into their roles and we're looking a lot better than we did at this time last year," sophomore infielder Carmine Pagano said. "The leadership is a lot better and all the guys are really coming together as one team."
Despite being just a sophomore, Pagano earned a major role on the field as a true freshman last season and can pull from that experience to help this year's freshmen, a group that Friedholm hasn't shied away from saying will see playing time early and often.
Fellow sophomore, right-handed pitcher Ryan Tapp says that while the first two weeks have gone well, everyone will need to remain on the same page and focused throughout the early part of the season and beyond if they wish to continue to make strides.
"The first couple of weeks have gone very well. We've all been working really hard and getting ready for opening weekend," Tapp said. "We just want everyone to be on the same page and work as hard as we can and give everything they have every day, whether that's in practice or in a game."
Pagano expanded on that sentiment, saying, "We just need to stay focused for all nine innings and every single pitch instead of taking a pitch off here and there. Every single pitch needs our entire focus. Once we start to do that, I think this year we will start to see better results."
To do that, Orr knows that the team will need to be able to get over the inevitable humps and tough stretches that come with a 56-game schedule.
"I would say just keeping calm and mature during those tough stretches," Orr said. "A lot of times at the end of a few games last season, we folded when we could have bowed up and taken a big game. Pulling through and winning those tight games at the end is going to be what makes our season just good or great."
To get to that point, the team still has one week left of preseason practice. A critical time when the Bulldogs will continue to work on the little things, but also continue to scrimmage in real-game situations. Those scrimmages have been the most fun says Tapp and Pagano.
"Getting to compete against my teammates has definitely been a lot of fun," Tapp said. "Having everyone competing and showing each other how we expect to compete against outside teams is really exciting."
"It can't get any better than the scrimmages every weekend," Pagano said. "We're just out there competing and getting ready for opening weekend, and it's a lot of fun."
When the first pitch of the regular season is officially thrown out, the team will have put in just three weeks of work since reconvening, but the Bulldogs will draw on their time together in the fall as well to make the team stronger through their bonds.
"Just being out here with this group of guys is my favorite part of it all," Orr said. "I like doing PFPs (pitchers' fielding practice), but the guys really make it all worthwhile."
UNC Asheville opens the season on Friday, Feb. 17, traveling to Birmingham, Ala., to take on Samford in a three-game series. First pitch of the 2017 season is slated for 5 p.m. Eastern standard time. The Bulldogs' home opener is slated for Friday, March 3, against Iona at Greenwood Field, in the first of a three-game series.
Players Mentioned
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