Sharpe takes his own path for UNCW
By Alex Riley Wilmington Star News Staff
Nothing has gone as planned for Zarion Sharpe this season. Maybe, that’s been the plan all along.
Before opening day, the UNCW freshman wasn’t expected to have a major impact. In conversations with coach Mark Scalf and pitching coach Matt Williams, Sharpe figured he might serve as a reliever, possibly a mid-week starter if things went well. His innings would be limited as he eased into college baseball.
On Feb. 19, Sharpe took the mound against Appalachian State in the top of the eighth inning in a 3-3 tie. He issued two walks and allowed a sac bunt before being pulled. Both runners eventually scored, putting UNCW in a 5-3 hole. The Seahawks would rally for a 6-5 victory.
Sharpe spent the next 27 days and 12 games waiting for his next chance to toe the rubber.
What’s the difference between that first day and where he is now? Everything.
“There was a few times I kind of struggled in bullpen (sessions),” Sharpe said of that gap between appearances. “It was just mostly be patient and I knew that I’d get another chance. I just wanted to be ready for whenever that time came.”
Under the radar
Sharpe gets it. He understands that outsiders who watched him pitch at The Oakwood School might not have been as impressed as if he’d pitched at the Class 4A public school level. Oakwood, a small private school with a little over 400 students in Greenville, competes at the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association’s 1A level.
Sharpe was good, especially as a senior. In 13 appearances, he went 9-1 with two saves and a 0.33 ERA. He allowed just three earned runs in 64 innings of work, striking out 109 while walking just 26. The Eagles won the NCISAA 1A state title with a 24-2 record.
Matt Williams didn’t focus on the competition Sharpe was facing.
“We saw a left-handed athlete with the chance to really fill out and grow,” Williams said. “Just talking to him, you could see the work ethic was there. I think that was the determining factor for (assistant) coach (Randy) Hood and I.”
According to his Perfect Game profile, Sharpe was the 361st best left-handed pitcher in the 2016 class overall and 10th best lefty in North Carolina. He was considered the 110th best overall player in the state that year.
North Carolina A&T, N.C. Central, Alabama State, Liberty, East Carolina and Charlotte all had talks with Sharpe about joining their roster. UNCW was the school that felt right.
“I feel like some people doubted the competition level that I played against (in high school), but I never really let that affect me,” Sharpe said. “I just wanted to come here and compete for a spot, just hope for the best and I knew God had a plan.”
Off to work
The jitters were obvious on Feb. 19. Sharpe threw 16 pitches and struggled to get ahead in the count. His first walk came on a 3-1 count, his second on 3-2.
His introduction to college baseball was short-lived and eye-opening.
“In high school, it was a lot easier. You go out there and didn’t have really too much to worry about,” Sharpe said. “Coming out here, you’ve got to be prepared every time no matter who you’re playing. You’ve got to come with the same mindset. You’ve got to compete every pitch, every at-bat.”
Over the next 27 days, Sharpe watched, listened, learned and implemented. He adjusted his delivery so that hitters saw less of the ball before it reached home. He fine-tuned his mechanics for a cleaner motion. He watched the veterans in what Williams called “shadow work,” soaking up details.
“Once he started doing those things, I backed off and kind of let him be himself. I think that’s really helped,” Williams said. “His mind’s not cloudy or anything. He’s going out there and attacking. That’s one of the biggest things, just getting out of his way.”
While Sharpe grew, UNCW’s pitching depth took a beating.
Josh Roberson, the team’s Saturday starter, went down with tendinitis. Austin Magestro, Jordan Bissette, Clark Cota, Clay Lockamon, Cory Gantz and Luke Gesell each fell victim to some sort of illness or injury along the way that put them on the shelf for a block of time.
After one inning of work on March 19 against VCU, the UNCW coaches made a decision – two days later, Sharpe got his first start at home against Maryland.
“Over that month of time (where he didn’t pitch), I don’t know whether the light came on, but he made progress quickly and had a feel for making the adjustments necessary to be more consistent in the zone,” Scalf said. “Zarion basically was the next man up that we felt like had the ability to be a starter for us. He’s taken it and run with it.”
Sharpe worked four innings against the Terrapins, allowing one run on two hits. The Seahawks won 10-7, the team’s only victory against a top 50 RPI team this season.
He earned another midweek start at Coastal Carolina and was then placed in the weekend rotation as the Sunday starter. He’s been a weekend pitcher ever since, recently moving up to the Saturday spot.
“If somebody had told me eight weeks ago that he’d have done what he’s done, I probably wouldn’t have believed it at that point. But I wouldn’t have doubted it either because his work habits, his desire to get better, his ability to make adjustments, all of that plays a factor,” Scalf said.
Confidence building
For whatever reason, Sharpe’s confidence has become tied to UNCW’s success.
He’s set the tone on the mound every outing. After a no decision in his first weekend start at Charleston, Sharpe reeled off six straight wins before having his effort at Towson end after one inning due to rain.
The Seahawks have averaged 8.4 runs per game when he’s on the mound. In games Sharpe doesn’t start, the team averages 5.5.
“Even as a freshman, he’s not scared of anybody. He doesn’t care who you are, if you’re a senior, if you’re an All-American, he’s going to go right at you with everything he’s got and that’s all you can really ask,” UNCW senior Casey Golden said.
That run support, Scalf said, has allowed the lefty to develop a comfort level on the mound. He’s been given the freedom to challenge hitters because the offense can make up for a mistake.
What’s changed?
“I think it’s my confidence. The first appearance, I was kind of nervous and after that all the guys they told me they believed in me and I just wanted to come out here and compete,” Sharpe said.
Sharpe is second on the team in wins (6-1), third in innings worked (53) and fifth in strikeouts (43). His 4.25 ERA is bested only by Alex Royalty’s 3.38 among regular starters.
It wasn’t that long ago he was just going to be a freshman getting acclimated to life in college baseball. Sharpe admits the grind of 55 games has been different for him. There’s more information to digest in scouting reports and more required in workouts.
The plan was to ease him in. Things didn’t go according to plan. And that’s just fine.
“He’s got his head on his shoulders pretty good and he’ll be there for us when we need him. He won’t let us down. He knows his job and his role and he’ll play it perfectly,” Royalty said.
-- Reporter Alex Riley can be reached at 910-343-2034 or Alex.Riley@StarNewsOnline.com.
By Alex Riley Wilmington Star News Staff
Nothing has gone as planned for Zarion Sharpe this season. Maybe, that’s been the plan all along.
Before opening day, the UNCW freshman wasn’t expected to have a major impact. In conversations with coach Mark Scalf and pitching coach Matt Williams, Sharpe figured he might serve as a reliever, possibly a mid-week starter if things went well. His innings would be limited as he eased into college baseball.
On Feb. 19, Sharpe took the mound against Appalachian State in the top of the eighth inning in a 3-3 tie. He issued two walks and allowed a sac bunt before being pulled. Both runners eventually scored, putting UNCW in a 5-3 hole. The Seahawks would rally for a 6-5 victory.
Sharpe spent the next 27 days and 12 games waiting for his next chance to toe the rubber.
What’s the difference between that first day and where he is now? Everything.
“There was a few times I kind of struggled in bullpen (sessions),” Sharpe said of that gap between appearances. “It was just mostly be patient and I knew that I’d get another chance. I just wanted to be ready for whenever that time came.”
Under the radar
Sharpe gets it. He understands that outsiders who watched him pitch at The Oakwood School might not have been as impressed as if he’d pitched at the Class 4A public school level. Oakwood, a small private school with a little over 400 students in Greenville, competes at the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association’s 1A level.
Sharpe was good, especially as a senior. In 13 appearances, he went 9-1 with two saves and a 0.33 ERA. He allowed just three earned runs in 64 innings of work, striking out 109 while walking just 26. The Eagles won the NCISAA 1A state title with a 24-2 record.
Matt Williams didn’t focus on the competition Sharpe was facing.
“We saw a left-handed athlete with the chance to really fill out and grow,” Williams said. “Just talking to him, you could see the work ethic was there. I think that was the determining factor for (assistant) coach (Randy) Hood and I.”
According to his Perfect Game profile, Sharpe was the 361st best left-handed pitcher in the 2016 class overall and 10th best lefty in North Carolina. He was considered the 110th best overall player in the state that year.
North Carolina A&T, N.C. Central, Alabama State, Liberty, East Carolina and Charlotte all had talks with Sharpe about joining their roster. UNCW was the school that felt right.
“I feel like some people doubted the competition level that I played against (in high school), but I never really let that affect me,” Sharpe said. “I just wanted to come here and compete for a spot, just hope for the best and I knew God had a plan.”
Off to work
The jitters were obvious on Feb. 19. Sharpe threw 16 pitches and struggled to get ahead in the count. His first walk came on a 3-1 count, his second on 3-2.
His introduction to college baseball was short-lived and eye-opening.
“In high school, it was a lot easier. You go out there and didn’t have really too much to worry about,” Sharpe said. “Coming out here, you’ve got to be prepared every time no matter who you’re playing. You’ve got to come with the same mindset. You’ve got to compete every pitch, every at-bat.”
Over the next 27 days, Sharpe watched, listened, learned and implemented. He adjusted his delivery so that hitters saw less of the ball before it reached home. He fine-tuned his mechanics for a cleaner motion. He watched the veterans in what Williams called “shadow work,” soaking up details.
“Once he started doing those things, I backed off and kind of let him be himself. I think that’s really helped,” Williams said. “His mind’s not cloudy or anything. He’s going out there and attacking. That’s one of the biggest things, just getting out of his way.”
While Sharpe grew, UNCW’s pitching depth took a beating.
Josh Roberson, the team’s Saturday starter, went down with tendinitis. Austin Magestro, Jordan Bissette, Clark Cota, Clay Lockamon, Cory Gantz and Luke Gesell each fell victim to some sort of illness or injury along the way that put them on the shelf for a block of time.
After one inning of work on March 19 against VCU, the UNCW coaches made a decision – two days later, Sharpe got his first start at home against Maryland.
“Over that month of time (where he didn’t pitch), I don’t know whether the light came on, but he made progress quickly and had a feel for making the adjustments necessary to be more consistent in the zone,” Scalf said. “Zarion basically was the next man up that we felt like had the ability to be a starter for us. He’s taken it and run with it.”
Sharpe worked four innings against the Terrapins, allowing one run on two hits. The Seahawks won 10-7, the team’s only victory against a top 50 RPI team this season.
He earned another midweek start at Coastal Carolina and was then placed in the weekend rotation as the Sunday starter. He’s been a weekend pitcher ever since, recently moving up to the Saturday spot.
“If somebody had told me eight weeks ago that he’d have done what he’s done, I probably wouldn’t have believed it at that point. But I wouldn’t have doubted it either because his work habits, his desire to get better, his ability to make adjustments, all of that plays a factor,” Scalf said.
Confidence building
For whatever reason, Sharpe’s confidence has become tied to UNCW’s success.
He’s set the tone on the mound every outing. After a no decision in his first weekend start at Charleston, Sharpe reeled off six straight wins before having his effort at Towson end after one inning due to rain.
The Seahawks have averaged 8.4 runs per game when he’s on the mound. In games Sharpe doesn’t start, the team averages 5.5.
“Even as a freshman, he’s not scared of anybody. He doesn’t care who you are, if you’re a senior, if you’re an All-American, he’s going to go right at you with everything he’s got and that’s all you can really ask,” UNCW senior Casey Golden said.
That run support, Scalf said, has allowed the lefty to develop a comfort level on the mound. He’s been given the freedom to challenge hitters because the offense can make up for a mistake.
What’s changed?
“I think it’s my confidence. The first appearance, I was kind of nervous and after that all the guys they told me they believed in me and I just wanted to come out here and compete,” Sharpe said.
Sharpe is second on the team in wins (6-1), third in innings worked (53) and fifth in strikeouts (43). His 4.25 ERA is bested only by Alex Royalty’s 3.38 among regular starters.
It wasn’t that long ago he was just going to be a freshman getting acclimated to life in college baseball. Sharpe admits the grind of 55 games has been different for him. There’s more information to digest in scouting reports and more required in workouts.
The plan was to ease him in. Things didn’t go according to plan. And that’s just fine.
“He’s got his head on his shoulders pretty good and he’ll be there for us when we need him. He won’t let us down. He knows his job and his role and he’ll play it perfectly,” Royalty said.
-- Reporter Alex Riley can be reached at 910-343-2034 or Alex.Riley@StarNewsOnline.com.
