Jayhawks excited for the upcoming 2020 season

Jayhawks excited for the upcoming 2020 season

JAMESTOWN – With the 2020 campaign underway, the Jamestown Community College baseball team will have a new look under the guidance of first-year head coach Jordan Basile.

 

Being associated with baseball for as long as Basile has been, it has allowed Basile to adjust to the strengths of his team and put them in a position to succeed. When it comes to offense, Basile will look to utilize smart base running, turning singles to a doubles. “We’re going to have to manufacture runs,” said Basile. We’re going to have to know how to run the bases really well and bunt guys over successfully. We’re going to have to steal a lot bases. We’re going to have to be good on the bases.”

 

Looking to build upon their sophomore seasons are Roberto Hanley Aracena, Paul Tripi and Evan Harrison who were named to All-WNYAC teams a season ago. Hanley Aracena was named First Team All-WNYAC where he had a batting average of .395 in 26 games played. Hanley Aracena led the team in slugging percentage of .513 while driving in 23 RBIs.

 

Tripi will also look to bring his hitting to the plate once again after being a First Team All-WNYAC selection a season ago. Tripi hit .353 in 27 games played and drove in 12 runs. Tripi also finished with a slugging percentage of .435.

 

In the season-opener, Tripi went 3-for-4 from the plate in a 4-1 loss to Gannon University this past Monday.

 

The strength of the team will be with the pitching as the Jayhawks will have options on the mound. “The pitching staff I think is really the strength of this team,” Basile said. “As far as getting time on the mound, we’ve got 11 guys who can pitch. We’ve got about five or six guys who right now I can see as starting pitchers.”

 

At the top of the rotation will be sophomore right-handed pitcher Evan Harrison. Harrison was selected to the Second Team All-WNYAC team last season where he saw action in 10 games, making eight starts and chalking up 35 strikeouts.

 

Harrison started the 2020 season on the mound for the Jayhawks where he went six shutout innings, racking up eight strikeouts and allowing two hits.

 

Others returners that will look to contribute to the team’s success will be middle infielder German Nolasco, catcher/first-baseman Spencer TeWinkle and right-handed pitcher Hyeonsang Cho.

 

Newcomers to have your eyes on will be left-handed pitcher Shaun Holyfield and outfielder Wyatt Hennessy. Holyfield and Hennessy arrived to Jamestown after brief stints at Patrick Henry Community College, following Basile’s lead.

 

The Jayhawks will get a gauge of where they are as a team as they hit the road for back-to-back double headers starting on March 21st. JCC will play Community College of Allegheny County starting at 1 p.m. in a doubleheader and then play Westmoreland County Community College on Sunday, March 22nd in a double header starting at 12 p.m.

 

Returning home after their road trip, JCC will host Niagara County Community College in their home-opener at Diethrick Park. First game is scheduled for 12 p.m. will a game to follow.

 

In the teams next 10 games, six will be played on the road. The Jayhawks will return home for the start of a three-game home stand, first starting with a doubleheader against Tompkins Cortland Community College on Tuesday, April 14th starting at 2 p.m. JCC will close out the home stand will a conference game against Genesee Community College on Thursday, April 16th at 3 p.m.

 

In their last nine games, JCC will play six games on the road including a three-game road trip to close out the regular season.

 

“The goal is always to go win it all, go win the conference,” said Basile. “And truthfully, I don’t think it’s that far out of the question that we do it with the 21 guys who are sitting on the roster who are all working in the same direction. Our goal is to go win the conference tournament and then see where it takes us.”

 

For any schedule changes, go to jccjayhawks.com.