3 minute read
Bring on The power
JMU baseball sports new batting order to replace power-hitting core
By WILL MORAN The Breeze
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The offseason wasn’t kind to the Diamond Dukes. They lost production in key places in their lineup. But they have a core group that sophomore outfielder Fenwick Trimble said is looking to “make a name” for itself in the Sun Belt Conference this season.
And another member of the 2023 core, redshirt senior outfielder Trevon “Tre” Dabney, is confident in the group JMU has this season because of its experience playing together.
”We’ve all been playing with each other for two, three, even four [years], with me,” Dabney said. “I feel like the guys that are gonvna step up for us are gonna do a good job and we’re just gonna keep going pitch by pitch, day by day.”
The Dukes lost a power-hitter in the second slot in their lineup to the first round in the MLB draft, center fielder Chase DeLauter (2019-22). The Dukes also lost a swiss-army knife in Travis Reifsnider (2019-22) to the transfer portal. He played catcher and replaced DeLauter in center field while he was injured.
“You’re losing experience, obviously, when you lose a guy like Chase … with his offensive prowess,” Ikenberry said. “And then having Reifsnider have the type of year he had last year, which was an outstanding year for him, an exciting year for him, was kinda the unsung hero in our lineup last year.”
These two players accounted for a combined 239 at-bats, 21 home runs, 61 runs and 71 RBIs. They were the power-hitters at the top of the lineup, and Dabney said that although they’ll be missed, he’s confident in the players JMU has up next.
“Losing Travis and Chase, I mean, those were the power guys in our lineup that can really leave the ballpark at any moment. But the guys that we have now, I mean, they might not be as big as the power, but we got guys that will get on base for us,” Dabney said. “We know that we lost them too and I hope they do great, but [with] the guys we brought in now, we will be just fine.”
Without Reifsnider and DeLauter, Ikenberry projects graduate transfer outfielder Jack Cone to lead off, sophomore outfielder Fenwick Trimble second and redshirt senior infielder Kyle Novak third.
Next, JMU has Dabney — “I don’t like to say he’s a power guy, but he has power,” Ikenberry said — to deploy, as well as redshirt junior infielder Mason Dunaway.
Ikenberry also said graduate outfielder Jaylon Lee has had a terrific preseason, hitting .288 with four home runs and 28 RBIs in the Valley Baseball League (VBL) for the Harrisonburg Turks. He comes to JMU from Eastern Mennonite University (EMU), where he accumulated 126 runs, 30 home runs and 132 RBIs in his five seasons. Dabney said Lee will be a big addition to JMU.
“He’s an all-around player,” Dabney said of Lee. “Showing our younger guys what it’s like to play and go from D-III to D-I, I think it just helps us in the long run.”
Another key loss for the Dukes heading into th is season is second baseman Nick Zona. Drafted in the 20th round of the MLB draft to the Seattle Mariners, Zona was a constant at the back of the lineup. Dabney likened him to a “second lead-off” hitter and Ikenberry raved about his “love for the game” and what he brought to the program.
The Dukes will lean on Dabney and Trimble this season. Dabney is a fifth-year player and a consistent force for the Dukes. Trimble was a CAA All-Rookie honoree in 2022 and has room to build on that success this year. Ikenberry said he’s confident in what these players bring to the lineup in 2023.
“They get their hits, they drive in runners and they can handle the bat,” Ikenberry said. “Tre can really, really run, I mean, his speed, you gotta utilize his speed. Where [Trimble] is kinda, as I call him, like ‘Steady Eddy,’ just kinda goes out there and performs and produces … He’s really matured, you know, playing as a freshman.”
Entering the Sun Belt, one of the toughest conferences in college baseball, Trimble said he wants the team to “make a name” for itself in its first year. But overall, Trimble said the team’s goal is clear: Omaha, Nebraska, for the College World Series.
“We’re hoping to make a name for ourselves in the Sun Belt, we’re going to come in strong, hoping to make a run in the tournament, we want to win the tournament,” Trimble said. “And then the overall goal is Omaha. We’re excited about it.”
CONTACT Will Moran at moranwp@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more baseball coverage, follow the sports desk on Twitter @TheBreezeSports.
