Spring sports get underway at AACC

Baseball+center+fielder+Jaden+Jones+works+on+fielding+at+practice.

Jacob Hudson

Baseball center fielder Jaden Jones gets ready for the 2020 season. Baseball is one of five AACC spring sports.

Jacob Hudson, Associate Editor

ACC spring sports started tryouts and practice in January.

Spring sports include Baseball, Softball, Men’s Lacrosse, Women’s Lacrosse and Golf.

Baseball

Baseball finished last season with an 11-32 record.
“Our team chemistry is way better this year,” second-year pitcher Zach Rees said.

Lennie Lehner, a third-year first baseman and pitcher, agreed.

“This year I think we are more of a team,” he said.

Head coach Chris Jenkins said to expect many different lineups throughout the season.

“This year we have a lot of guys that pitch and play other positions,” Jenkins said.

Baseball’s first home game is Feb. 21 against Salisbury University Club.

Softball

Softball finished last season with a 13-23 record.

The team returned first-team Maryland Junior College Athletic Conference pitcher Gracie Culley and outfielder Sylvia Frye from the 2019 season.

Softball’s first home game is March 7 against Mercer County Community College at 12 p.m.

Men’s Lacrosse

Men’s Lacrosse midfielders Zach Burns and Brandon Belcher returned to the team this season, along with attacker Patrick McGinley, goalie Hugh Edwards and defenders Connor Bittner, Jacob Kotelchuck and Joe Threatt.

Men’s Lacrosse finished last year with a 7-6 record and made it to the Region 20 semifinals.

Men’s Lacrosse’s first home game is Feb. 22 against Ocean City College at 1:30 p.m.

Women’s Lacrosse

Women’s Lacrosse finished last season with a record of 11-4 and as national runner up in Region 20.

“The start of a new season is always exciting as you are looking at a new group,” said head coach Jim Griffiths, 2019 Region 20 Coach of the Year.

Midfielders Bridgette Tayman and Natalie Sonntag returned to the team this season, along with attacker Jordan Snyder and defender Lacey Hinkle. All four earned MDJUCO first-team last year.

Women’s Lacrosse’s first game is March 7 against West Virginia University Potomac State College at 4 p.m.

Golf

Second-team All-American Luke Schwartz returned to the team.

Schwartz placed 11th at the NJCAA Division III Championship last season.

Golf finished last season as the Region 20 runner-up.