Growing up in Greenville, Stacey Andrews always knew she'd end up at East Carolina University.
Playing for the Pirates' softball team is just an added bonus.
Jenni Farrow/The Daily Reflector |
ECU senior left fielder Stacey Andrews has blossomed in her final season. The J.H. Rose graduate has blasted 10 home runs for the Pirates.
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After graduating from J.H. Rose in 2004, Andrews took her game to Pitt Community College, where she excelled for two seasons. When she finished, it was a no-brainer that she'd be attending ECU.
However, when coach Tracey Kee offered her a spot on the Pirates' roster, she jumped at the chance.
"It definitely was always a dream of mine," Andrews said. "I had every intention of coming here after Pitt, and I always wanted to play here, but didn't expect to. When I heard of the offer, I jumped at the opportunity to play and it's been a great experience."
It didn't start off that way, at least on the field for Andrews, whose brother Scott played four years on the ECU baseball team.
As a junior, she played in 42 games, starting six. She stole nine bases in 12 attempts and scored 14 runs. But at the plate, finding a hit was nearly impossible. She finished hitting 2-for-21 (.095 average).
"I think last year, when you look at her numbers, she had like two hits and they were minimal hits," Kee said. "I think part of that was trying to transition to Division I after missing the fall. She came here in January and we started games in a month."
One of those two hits was a home run, providing a glimpse of what was to come.
When the 2008 season rolled around, Andrews said she was fully confident that her final year in purple and gold would be a success. She worked hard from the summer through the winter on her hitting.
"Well, I knew I was going to have to change some things over the summer," the 21-year-old said. "I had to really work hard at my hitting. I just never could find any comfort at the plate my first year.
"This year, I just came out really relaxed and just a whole new mind-set. I'm so much more relaxed up there."
The results have been staggering.
The left fielder leads East Carolina (35-27) in just about every offensive category heading into Thursday's Conference USA tournament first-round game against Marshall.
She is hitting .335 (54-for-161) with 10 home runs and 36 RBIs. The power surge is coming from a player who hit none in her four-year prep career and six at PCC. She also has nine doubles, three triples, a .615 slugging percentage and eight stolen bases. In the field, she has no errors and six assists.
"Her impact this spring has been priceless," Kee said. "She has been a mainstay in our lineup and has just anchored left field like no one has here in quite some time."
Kee does have one regret.
"It was funny because at our banquet I said I wish I had got Stacey straight out of high school," she said. "But hindsight is 20/20."
Andrews, who plans on being a physical education teacher and coach in the Pitt County area after graduation, said she is perfectly content with her career so far.
"I've enjoyed every moment," she said. "It's been one big, long, fun ride."
Lots of Pitt
Local players are playing a big role in the Pitt Community College baseball team's successful season.
One of the top players on the squad is outfielder Josh Ashton. The former Rampants' standout is hitting .323 for the Bulldogs. He is second on the team in home runs (five) and RBIs (39) behind Lonnie Chisenhall. Ashton has seven doubles and a triple on the year, with a slugging percentage of .512.
Catcher Landis Wilson, a D.H. Conley product, is right behind Ashton in offensive production. The sophomore has a .315 batting average with three homers and 18 RBIs. He also has a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage on the season behind the plate.
On the mound, North Pitt graduate Chip Wall has emerged as the team's No. 2 starter in his sophomore season. Wall is currently 7-1 on the year with two complete games and a 2.52 ERA. He has struck out 41 batters and walked just nine in 532/3 innings. Hitters are batting just .217 against him.
Former Rose standout Josh Aldridge has settled into a relief pitching role for PCC. He is currently 0-2 on the year with a 4.63 ERA in eight appearances. He has struck out 12 batters in 112/3 innings pitched.
Matt Board of Rose has also appeared in five games.
The Bulldogs will be competing in the Region X tournament Wednesday through Sunday.
Quick hits
Former J.H. Rose standout Ryan Graepel has played in 35 of No. 2 North Carolina's 46 games so far this season, starting nine. The sophomore infielder is hitting .213 with 10 hits in 47 at-bats. He has scored 10 runs with two doubles, three RBIs and a stolen base. ... Freshman sprinter Cortney Wright of UNC-Wilmington just missed qualifying for the finals of the 100-meter hurdles at the Colonial Athletic Association championships in April. Wright, a Rose graduate, finished ninth in the preliminaries with a time of 14.94 seconds. The top eight advanced to the final.
Where are they?
If you have any news on a former Pitt County student-athlete who is competing at the next level, send an e-mail or give me a phone call.
Randy Jones can be reached at rajones@coxnc.com or at (252) 329-9593.
