Summer baseball a reality for lake-area players
By dcoats@lakenormanpublications.com | on June 10, 2020
by Doug Coats
HUNTERSVILLE – Joe Haney finally got a chance to play a true home game this year for SouthLake Christian.
But instead of a senior season full of games in front of friends and family at the newly completed on-campus field, he and his teammates only played four.
“For a while, we were never really sure when the field was going to be here,” Haney said. “There were times it was doubtful, but all the work that was put in this past year really helped. It was good to be able to get out there.”
Haney is continuing his baseball career at Davidson College, but is getting one last season with the Eagles’ two other seniors – Carson Lankford and Casey Hagaman – and his high school coach, Cheron Farley. Through the Charlotte High School League, SouthLake hosts one of two lake-area teams competing throughout June.
Unlike the grueling American Legion schedule, games are played one day a week – Wednesdays, allowing for participation on travel teams – and provided a pleasant surprise for local players who had their spring seasons cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I know all of them are excited,” Farley said before a Tuesday afternoon practice. “It’s a little different, with the protocols in place. I’m excited to see the boys back out there and I know they’re excited.”
The six-team league was the brainchild of south Charlotte’s Tripp Roakes, Charlotte Christian head coach Chris Manriquez and Rick Suarez. Other than SouthLake and North Lincoln, the remaining teams are stocked with players from a mix of schools; SouthLake’s team also has players from Langtree Charter and Mountain Island Charter.
Teams must adhere to certain guidelines to maintain some semblance of social distancing: players must keep six feet apart when sitting in the dugout and no helmets or bats may be shared. One of the umpires calls balls and strikes from behind the pitcher’s mound.
“Everything we do, we try to limit as much touching as we can, have hand sanitizer,” Farley said. “We’re letting everyone know this virus is real and being as safe as we possibly can.”
At SouthLake, the dugout has been extended to beyond the fence that encompasses it.
“You don’t want anybody calling other people and getting us kicked out of the dugout,” said Tyler Sellers, a Mountain Island Charter grad playing for the SouthLake team.
He was only familiar with a couple of the SouthLake players through summer travel teams, but had played for Farley on the Dry Pond showcase team.
“I wasn’t really thinking about playing over summer; (I was) getting ready for college,” he said. “Cheron called me, said ‘I have an offer and you’ll have to take these safety precautions, but if you want to play baseball, you get to play baseball.’ I said, ‘Where do I sign?’ I was excited.”
Like several of his teammates, Sellers is getting a chance to fill the gap in live play before continuing his playing career at Wake Technical Community College. Until the league started, players were limited to hitting “soft-toss” and throwing in restrictive spaces.
“I went out there and my arm was shot; I felt like I forgot how to throw,” Sellers said. “On the defensive side of it, it was rusty. We were off for three months, not able to go anywhere. It was not as good as I was a couple months ago. It’s about getting into your groove.”
“The biggest thing is getting as many reps before I go to college,” added Haney, who entered the season as Greater Charlotte Player of the Year. “It would be tough to have all summer off and go to that level. You see so many good arms, I can really get my swing down before I get to campus in the fall.”
North Lincoln’s team is led by school assistant coach Brad Heavner and lacking any recent grads, skews younger than the SouthLake squad. Knights’ head coach John Carpenter may not be coaching what is essentially the school’s alternative junior American Legion team, but he’s still trying to keep up with the team as safety regulations allow.
“Once (June) 15th gets here, I’ll get in the dugout and keep score,” he said. “I’m a good boy. If they’re doing it the right way, I’m pleased we were asked to be a part of it.”
How to watch
All games in the Charlotte High School League are on Wednesdays through June 24, split between SouthLake Christian and Arthur Goodman Park, Charlotte Christian’s home field. At SouthLake, attendance is limited to 25, though coach Cheron Farley said they haven’t come close to that. In south Charlotte, fans sit behind the outfield. The playoffs will take place July 1-3.
By dcoats@lakenormanpublications.com | on June 10, 2020
by Doug Coats
HUNTERSVILLE – Joe Haney finally got a chance to play a true home game this year for SouthLake Christian.
But instead of a senior season full of games in front of friends and family at the newly completed on-campus field, he and his teammates only played four.
“For a while, we were never really sure when the field was going to be here,” Haney said. “There were times it was doubtful, but all the work that was put in this past year really helped. It was good to be able to get out there.”
Haney is continuing his baseball career at Davidson College, but is getting one last season with the Eagles’ two other seniors – Carson Lankford and Casey Hagaman – and his high school coach, Cheron Farley. Through the Charlotte High School League, SouthLake hosts one of two lake-area teams competing throughout June.
Unlike the grueling American Legion schedule, games are played one day a week – Wednesdays, allowing for participation on travel teams – and provided a pleasant surprise for local players who had their spring seasons cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I know all of them are excited,” Farley said before a Tuesday afternoon practice. “It’s a little different, with the protocols in place. I’m excited to see the boys back out there and I know they’re excited.”
The six-team league was the brainchild of south Charlotte’s Tripp Roakes, Charlotte Christian head coach Chris Manriquez and Rick Suarez. Other than SouthLake and North Lincoln, the remaining teams are stocked with players from a mix of schools; SouthLake’s team also has players from Langtree Charter and Mountain Island Charter.
Teams must adhere to certain guidelines to maintain some semblance of social distancing: players must keep six feet apart when sitting in the dugout and no helmets or bats may be shared. One of the umpires calls balls and strikes from behind the pitcher’s mound.
“Everything we do, we try to limit as much touching as we can, have hand sanitizer,” Farley said. “We’re letting everyone know this virus is real and being as safe as we possibly can.”
At SouthLake, the dugout has been extended to beyond the fence that encompasses it.
“You don’t want anybody calling other people and getting us kicked out of the dugout,” said Tyler Sellers, a Mountain Island Charter grad playing for the SouthLake team.
He was only familiar with a couple of the SouthLake players through summer travel teams, but had played for Farley on the Dry Pond showcase team.
“I wasn’t really thinking about playing over summer; (I was) getting ready for college,” he said. “Cheron called me, said ‘I have an offer and you’ll have to take these safety precautions, but if you want to play baseball, you get to play baseball.’ I said, ‘Where do I sign?’ I was excited.”
Like several of his teammates, Sellers is getting a chance to fill the gap in live play before continuing his playing career at Wake Technical Community College. Until the league started, players were limited to hitting “soft-toss” and throwing in restrictive spaces.
“I went out there and my arm was shot; I felt like I forgot how to throw,” Sellers said. “On the defensive side of it, it was rusty. We were off for three months, not able to go anywhere. It was not as good as I was a couple months ago. It’s about getting into your groove.”
“The biggest thing is getting as many reps before I go to college,” added Haney, who entered the season as Greater Charlotte Player of the Year. “It would be tough to have all summer off and go to that level. You see so many good arms, I can really get my swing down before I get to campus in the fall.”
North Lincoln’s team is led by school assistant coach Brad Heavner and lacking any recent grads, skews younger than the SouthLake squad. Knights’ head coach John Carpenter may not be coaching what is essentially the school’s alternative junior American Legion team, but he’s still trying to keep up with the team as safety regulations allow.
“Once (June) 15th gets here, I’ll get in the dugout and keep score,” he said. “I’m a good boy. If they’re doing it the right way, I’m pleased we were asked to be a part of it.”
How to watch
All games in the Charlotte High School League are on Wednesdays through June 24, split between SouthLake Christian and Arthur Goodman Park, Charlotte Christian’s home field. At SouthLake, attendance is limited to 25, though coach Cheron Farley said they haven’t come close to that. In south Charlotte, fans sit behind the outfield. The playoffs will take place July 1-3.
