College baseball - Randolph Record

01 Aug

Asheboro ZooKeepers cap strange, twisting season

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Zookeepers, Bryce Marsh, Coastal Plain League, College baseball, summer college baseball, Trent Youngblood

Southwestern Randolph alum Bryce Marsh had a strong season in power numbers for the Asheboro ZooKeepers. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Marsh’s CPL-best homer count among team’s highlights ASHEBORO – Things became better for the Asheboro ZooKeepers during the latter part of the Coastal Plain League season. But not good enough to qualify for the postseason. A somewhat awkward season came to a close with Saturday night’s 12-8 loss to the visiting Martinsville Mustangs at McCrary Park. Asheboro’s 14-34 record in CPL games was a league-worst mark in the 14-team circuit. The ZooKeepers were also 2-2 on non-league games. “It has…

27 Jul

Transylvania player puts together special season with ZooKeepers

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Zookeepers, Coastal Plain League, College baseball, summer college baseball, Transylvania baseball, Trent Youngblood

Trent Youngblood makes a play in the field for the Asheboro ZooKeepers. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Youngblood comes from Division III, but excels in CPL ASHEBORO – Coming from a Division III program, it was natural to wonder how Trent Youngblood would fit in with the Asheboro ZooKeepers. That hasn’t really happened – and that has been a good thing. It turns out that the versatile infielder has stood out with the ZooKeepers and across the Coastal Plain League as a whole. “I really just like competing,” Youngblood said. “It was a big adjustment coming from my school to here.” He’s…

19 Jul

Randleman alum Cooper heads to Liberty after leaving N.C. State

Bob SuttonSportsAppalachian League, Appalachian League All-Star Game, Atlantic Coast Conference, Burlington Sock Puppets, College baseball, Liberty Flames, N.C. State, North Carolina State baseball, Randleman athletics, Randleman baseball, Ryan McCrystal, summer college baseball, Trey Cooper

Trey Cooper has excelled with his college summer team and has selected a new college. (Bob Sutton/Randolph Record) Transfer has been stellar for summer team in Burlington BURLINGTON – Trey Cooper found a good summer gig and a new college home. The left-handed pitcher from Randleman is transferring to Liberty after two seasons in the North Carolina State program. “At the end of the day, I said I wanted to go somewhere I could play a lot,” Cooper said. “They wanted me to be a starter (at Liberty). Everything felt right.” Cooper has been a standout in the Appalachian League…

19 Jul

Trevor Marsh could join ZooKeepers for final stretch

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Zookeepers, Coastal Plain League, College baseball, summer college baseball, Trevor Marsh, UNCW

Trevor Marsh turned in a solid season last summer for Asheboro’s team in the CPL. He could be returning. (Randolph Record file photo) ASHEBORO – Trevor Marsh might be back with Asheboro’s Coastal Plain League baseball team after all. The former Asheboro High School standout hasn’t played this summer following surgery on his left hand’s index finger that caused his season to be cut short at UNC Wilmington. Marsh, an outfielder, said last week that he might join the Asheboro ZooKeepers for the final few games of the season if he’s given medical clearance. Last year, he played for the…

18 Jul

Randleman’s Brannon: ‘Feels like a dream’ after Red Sox select him in draft

Bob SuttonNews, SportsBaseball amateur draft, Boston Red Sox, Brooks Brannon, Class 2-A, College baseball, nchsaa, Randleman athletics, Randleman baseball, UNC Chapel Hill

Brooks Brannon had an award-winning high school career with Randleman. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) RANDLEMAN – Catcher Brooks Brannon of Randleman was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the ninth round of baseball’s amateur draft Monday. “It felt like a dream come true,” Brannon said Monday night. “Excited isn’t even the word. It was ecstasy.” Brannon, 18, is enrolled at North Carolina, where he’ll play for the Tar Heels if he decides to pass on this pro opportunity. Brannon was selected with the 279th pick overall during the second day of the three-day draft that concludes Tuesday. In that spot,…

12 Jul

Youngblood receives CPL honor

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro Zookeepers, Coastal Plain League, College baseball, summer college baseball, Trent Youngblood

HOLLY SPRINGS – Trent Youngblood of the Asheboro ZooKeepers was named the Hitter of the Week in the Coastal Plain League after batting .556 and driving in eight runs in five games. Youngblood had two doubles and scored five runs. He also drew three walks and stolen three bases. Youngblood, a utility player, is a rising junior at Transylvania. He’s from Louisville, Ky. Youngblood was the only Asheboro position player to appear in Sunday night’s CPL All-Star Game at Ting Stadium in Holly Springs. He was a pinch hitter and then played shortstop, going 0-for-2 for the West, which won…

06 Jul

Asheboro duo picked for CPL All-Star Game

Randolph RecordSportsAll-star game, Asheboro Zookeepers, Coastal Plain League, College baseball, Kennedy Jones, summer college baseball, Trent Youngblood

Trent Youngblood has given the Asheboro ZooKeepers a boost in several ways so far this season. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) ASHEBORO — Infielder Trent Youngblood and outfielder Kennedy Jones will represent the Asheboro ZooKeepers in Sunday’s Coastal Plain League All-Star Game in Holly Springs. Youngblood, who plays in college for Transylvania, leads the ZooKeepers with 23 runs batted in and co-leads the team with ten extra-base hits across his first 29 games. He entered this week as the only player to appear in every CPL game for Asheboro. Kennedy is a standout for UNC Greensboro. Because the Spartans were in the…

29 Jun

There’s still hope for Asheboro ZooKeepers despite tough times

Bob SuttonSportsAndrew Grande, Asheboro Zookeepers, Coastal Plain League, College baseball, summer college baseball

Andrew Grande hopes his time with the Asheboro ZooKeepers leads to other opportunities. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Injury stalls plans for ‘free agent’ in search of new team ASHEBORO — No baseball team in the Coastal Plain League is probably ready for the season’s second half more than the Asheboro ZooKeepers. It’s bound to get better. The college summer league has had unfortunate stop-and-go nature for the ZooKeepers, both from a team perspective and an individual level. The ZooKeepers were forced on the road and into several situations necessitating make-up games because of delayed renovations at McCrary Park. Then there’s…