Ryan Leger HENDERSON DAILY DISPATCH
The Kerr-Vance Academy baseball team hosted conference rival Crossroads Christian (2-8) Thursday evening on Senior Night and the result couldn’t havebeen any better for the Spartans. Kerr-Vance (14-2, 8-1)made quick work of the Colts, earning a 12-0 victory injust five innings, while seniors Daniel Wilkerson andLane Humphries both had nights to remember.
Wilkerson, who will continue his pitching career at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia next season, was hitting his spots from start and the Colts’ hitters just didn’t have an answer. The senior recordedten strikeouts, while only walking two batters, and didn’t allow a hit through 4 1/3 innings.
Spartans’ coach Todd Wilkerson pulled his son in the top of the fifth and he received a standing ovation from the home crowd along with the other seniors replaced with two outs remaining. Dustin Smith recorded the final two outs for the Kerr-Vance, but not before Crossroads’ Jonathan Boggs lined a ball through a gap in the infield to record the Colts’ only hit of the contest.
“I thought it was pretty cool to be able to do that,” Todd Wilkerson said of pulling his senior starters. “I wasn’t able to get Lane out of the game, but we were able to get most of them out. It was special and I’m just so proud of this group and what they’ve been able to accomplish.”
Kerr-Vance didn’t need too much offense Thursday, but it was provided early and often anyways. The Spartans lit up Colts’ starter Austin Bishop for seven runs in the first inning, highlighted by a two-run homer by catcher Lance Humphries, which cruised way over the right field wall and ignited the Kerr-Vance dugout. Humphries will play ball at Methodist University in Fayetteville next season and has been a consistent source of power for the Spartans all year.
“We really couldn’t have asked for any more out of them tonight,” Todd Wilkerson said. “Everyone hit the ball real well tonight, Daniel had his best stuff and we played solid defense behind them. Senior Night truly couldn’t have gone better.”
Bishop settled down a little bit after a nightmarish first inning, allowing 12 total runs during his three innings on the mound, but his main issue the entire night was his control. Bishop issued ten walks in total, including three in a row with the bases loaded in his third and final inning on the bump. Brody Steffensen relieved Bishop heading into the fourth inning, retiring three straight Spartans’ batters.
“It usually takes Austin a few innings to settle down, but when he starts slow he is worn out by the time he gets settled in,” Colts’ coach Robin Overby said. “We’ve got to be more consistent on the mound and throw more strikes. Control is going to be something we focus on a lot in the offseason.”
Crossroads also lost to the Spartans 12-0 in their first matchup this season, but the Colts often have no subs on their extremely young roster, which was the case Thursday. One thing that’s clear though, the Colts’ defense has improved leaps and bounds from the start of the season.
“I’ve been proud of our guys during both games against them. Daniel just pitched really well tonight and we couldn’t hit either time we played them,” Overby said. “Our defense has been getting a lot better, we’ve been working on it religiously in practice.”
Kerr-Vance will be back in action Tuesday when they travel to face conference rival Halifax Academy. The Spartans currently sit in second place in the conference and are very capable of making a lengthy playoff run.
The Kerr-Vance Academy baseball team hosted conference rival Crossroads Christian (2-8) Thursday evening on Senior Night and the result couldn’t havebeen any better for the Spartans. Kerr-Vance (14-2, 8-1)made quick work of the Colts, earning a 12-0 victory injust five innings, while seniors Daniel Wilkerson andLane Humphries both had nights to remember.
Wilkerson, who will continue his pitching career at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia next season, was hitting his spots from start and the Colts’ hitters just didn’t have an answer. The senior recordedten strikeouts, while only walking two batters, and didn’t allow a hit through 4 1/3 innings.
Spartans’ coach Todd Wilkerson pulled his son in the top of the fifth and he received a standing ovation from the home crowd along with the other seniors replaced with two outs remaining. Dustin Smith recorded the final two outs for the Kerr-Vance, but not before Crossroads’ Jonathan Boggs lined a ball through a gap in the infield to record the Colts’ only hit of the contest.
“I thought it was pretty cool to be able to do that,” Todd Wilkerson said of pulling his senior starters. “I wasn’t able to get Lane out of the game, but we were able to get most of them out. It was special and I’m just so proud of this group and what they’ve been able to accomplish.”
Kerr-Vance didn’t need too much offense Thursday, but it was provided early and often anyways. The Spartans lit up Colts’ starter Austin Bishop for seven runs in the first inning, highlighted by a two-run homer by catcher Lance Humphries, which cruised way over the right field wall and ignited the Kerr-Vance dugout. Humphries will play ball at Methodist University in Fayetteville next season and has been a consistent source of power for the Spartans all year.
“We really couldn’t have asked for any more out of them tonight,” Todd Wilkerson said. “Everyone hit the ball real well tonight, Daniel had his best stuff and we played solid defense behind them. Senior Night truly couldn’t have gone better.”
Bishop settled down a little bit after a nightmarish first inning, allowing 12 total runs during his three innings on the mound, but his main issue the entire night was his control. Bishop issued ten walks in total, including three in a row with the bases loaded in his third and final inning on the bump. Brody Steffensen relieved Bishop heading into the fourth inning, retiring three straight Spartans’ batters.
“It usually takes Austin a few innings to settle down, but when he starts slow he is worn out by the time he gets settled in,” Colts’ coach Robin Overby said. “We’ve got to be more consistent on the mound and throw more strikes. Control is going to be something we focus on a lot in the offseason.”
Crossroads also lost to the Spartans 12-0 in their first matchup this season, but the Colts often have no subs on their extremely young roster, which was the case Thursday. One thing that’s clear though, the Colts’ defense has improved leaps and bounds from the start of the season.
“I’ve been proud of our guys during both games against them. Daniel just pitched really well tonight and we couldn’t hit either time we played them,” Overby said. “Our defense has been getting a lot better, we’ve been working on it religiously in practice.”
Kerr-Vance will be back in action Tuesday when they travel to face conference rival Halifax Academy. The Spartans currently sit in second place in the conference and are very capable of making a lengthy playoff run.
