Category: Apprentice

Championship Day is Upon Us!

WILSON, N.C. – John Melvin (LA) got a walk-off double to defeat Apprentice 11-10 Friday and earn its way into Saturday’s NSAC Baseball Championship game.

The top-seeded Millers gave up seven runs in the second inning and appeared doomed to enter the losers bracket but methodically clawed its way back into the game, sealing it in the seventh.

Lighthouse Christian, John Melvin (FL) and Mid-Atlantic Christian were eliminated on Friday. Virginia State and Apprentice will meet Saturday morning at 10:30 Eastern for the chance to advance to the title game against JMU.

Livestream for all games is available at wilsontobs.com.

Day One in the Books at NSAC Championship

WILSON, N.C. – The first day of action at Fleming Stadium was marked by solid play and several big innings.

GAME ONE: #3 Apprentice 8, #6 Lighthouse Christian 6

GAME TWO: #5 Virginia State 11, #4 John Melvin (FL) 6

GAME THREE: #3 Apprentice 7, #2 Mid-Atlantic Christian 5

GAME FOUR: #1 John Melvin (LA) 12, #5 Virginia State 5

Play resumes Friday morning at 9:30 am Eastern time at Fleming Stadium in Wilson. All six teams are still in contention in the double-elimination tournament. You can watch each game via livestream at wilsontobs.com.

Graphic by WildCard Entertainment

Jones, Leblanc, Snell Lead 2025 All-Conference Selections

New South Athletic Conference baseball coaches have selected Gavin Leblanc (JMU-LA) as the 2025 Pitcher of the Year and Tobin Jones (JMCC-FL) and Travis Snell (MACU) as Co-Players of the Year.

Leblanc, a senior lefty, made 11 starts for the Millers with a 5-2 Record, threw for 63.1 Innings, giving up only 46 hits and 27 walks, with 85 strikeouts for a 2.84 ERA and .203 BAA.

Jones and Snell tied in the voting for Offensive POY.

Jones, a 6’3″ sophomore outfielder, had a batting average of .375 in 72 ABs, a slugging percentage of .819 for an OPS of 1.284, with 27 hits, 9 homers, and 24 RBIs.

Senior outfielder Snell also put up impressive numbers for the Mustangs, batting .447 with 129 PA’s, a slugging percentage .660, with 5 HRs and 28 RBIs.

“Congratulations to our players of the year as well as all of the outstanding student-athletes that make up the 2025 NSAC All-Conference Team,” said commissioner Mike Davis. “They have made this one of the most exciting campaigns yet in NSAC baseball, with more fireworks to come in Wilson.”

2025 All-Conference First Team

  • Zander Mizelle, P, Apprentice
  • Charley Higginbotham, P, Apprentice
  • Kevin Rodriguez, P, Atlantis
  • Dakota Jacobsen, P, MACU
  • Jeremiah Cabrera, P, MACU
  • Tobin Jones, OF, JMCC (FL)
  • Trevor Durr, C, JMU
  • Jaden Guthrie, 2B, Virginia State
  • Nate Yeary, OF, Apprentice
  • L. Valentin, Lighthouse
  • Jeremy Harmon, C, Apprentice
  • Travis Snell, OF, MACU
  • Thomas Ealey, OF, Virginia State
  • Braeden Morgan, 2B, JMU (LA)
  • Eduardo Perez, C, Atlantis
  • Justin Suarez, 2B, Atlantis
  • Landen Miller, C/DH, MACU
  • Gavin Leblanc, P, JMU (LA)

All-Conference Second Team

  • Dalon Arrington, P, MACU
  • Garrett Walker, P, JMU (LA)
  • Caleb Ougel, P, JMU (LA)
  • Cole Crocker, P, JMCC (FL)
  • Logan Fleming, P, JMCC (FL)
  • Eduardo Roque, P, Atlantis
  • Jesus Gonzalez, P, Atlantis
  • Kevin Rodriguez, P, Atlantis
  • G. Deroche, Lighthouse
  • H. Molina, Lighthouse
  • L. Villasana, Lighthouse
  • H. Ojeda, Lighthouse
  • Noah Watkins, OF, JMU (LA)
  • Sammy Maddox, 1B, JMU (LA)
  • Connor Pleasant, SS, JMU (LA)
  • Nick Redman, P, Apprentice
  • Josiah Collado, C/OF, MACU
  • Rafael (RJ) Cabrera, IF, MACU
  • Victor Johnson, OF, Virginia State
  • Jacquan Tucker, 1B, Virginia State
  • TJ McGowan, 3B, Virginia State
  • Marcos Medina, INF, Atlantis
  • Nathaniel Gomez, CF, Atlantis
  • Gianni Rodriguez 3B/DH, Atlantis
  • Hunter Johnson, IF, Apprentice
  • Camden Richardson, P, Apprentice
  • Jett Winslow, IF, Apprentice

Image courtesy Carla Walker/SportsPicsByCarla; WildCard Entertainment

Baseball All-Academic Team Recognized

The New South Athletic Conference is proud to honor the baseball players from its member institutions who have made academics a priority. “These young men are to be commended for their commitment to academic excellence as well as athletics,” said commissioner Mike Davis. “It is my privilege to congratulate them on a job well done.”

Each student-athlete must carry a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0-point scale to be recognized as an All-Academic Team Member.

The Apprentice School

  • Jaeden Anderson
  • Justin Bradshaw
  • Tommy Distler
  • Jeremy Harmon
  • Aiden Henry
  • Hunter Johnson
  • Isaac McCallister
  • Chase Mytrysak
  • Matt Phoebus
  • Bryce Post
  • Caleb Russwell
  • Jake Sanchez-Tiller
  • Camden Weston

Atlantis University

  • Alejandro Uribe
  • Jonathan Vassllo
  • Justin Suarez
  • Travis Knowles
  • Joshua Polanco
  • Matthew Lopez
  • Ozzyel Gabbarro 
  • Marcos Medina 
  • Eduardo Roque 
  • Alex Socarras
  • Jesus Ramos
  • Francisco Bracho
  • Walter Mamarella 
  • Jonathan Mustlier 
  • Diyer Schafer
  • Daniel Zayas 
  • Christian Olazabal

John Melvin Christian College (FL)

  • Zane Alford
  • Kyle Brealond
  • James (Tripp) Cameron
  • Braden Clark
  • Landon Cooper
  • Landon Glaesmann
  • Tate Glover
  • Reagan Grace
  • Daniel Hernandez
  • Raymond Missett
  • Dane Mallon
  • Preston Barnett
  • Cole Patrick
  • Logan Flemming
  • Brayden Plouffe
  • Logan Snowden
  • Cole Crocker
  • Isaiah Redfearn
  • Lane Kasper
  • Connor Rosenberg
  • Austin Holstein
  • Tobin Jones
  • Donovan Hawkins
  • Garrison Head
  • Jimmy Reynolds
  • Jordan Taylor
  • Zachary Barrientos
  • Kaden Fritter
  • Andrew Bailey
  • Timothy Lambert
  • Price Bowen
  • Avery Newton
  • Steele Marshall
  • Grant Belote
  • Brodie Dalton

John Melvin University (LA)

  • Andrew Ashby
  • Gavin Gary
  • Trevor Durr
  • Connor Pleasant
  • Willy Flynn
  • Gavin LeBlanc
  • Noah Watkins
  • Peyton Ford
  • Sammy Maddox
  • Sam Crowe
  • Garrett Walker
  • Josh Guidroz
  • Troy Morel
  • Gavin Walker
  • Taylor Walters
  • Bryce Oquinn 
  • Caleb Ougel
  • Jonah Callais
  • Lane Kratzer
  • Luke Primeaux
  • Braeden Morgan
  • Cabet Blanchard
  • JT Teuton
  • Cooper Chase
  • Zayne Earl
  • Tyler Knippers
  • Eli Musgraves
  • Josh Jones
  • Kohen LeJeune
  • Noah Berg
  • Brian Ellender
  • Jackson Day
  • Connor Molaison
  • Colt LeJeune
  • Trey Lagrange
  • Raylee Thomas

Lighthouse Christian College

  • Luis “Valentin” Diaz
  • James Andrew Davis 
  • Juan Pablo Finol 
  • Yhulman Ryhan Ortiz 
  • Trevor Jeremiah Medlin 
  • Dilan Veras 
  • Jose Alejandro Sanchez 
  • Quinton Renfroe 
  • Jean Carlos Quezada Sosa 
  • Gavin Neade 
  • Joshua Landis 
  • Trent Austin Knighten 
  • Robert-Isaac Gates 
  • Solomon Gant 
  • Carlos Brown 
  • Clayton “Clay” Allen 

Mid-Atlantic Christian University

  • Dalon Arrington
  • Titus Bleckley
  • RJ Cabrera
  • Josiah Collado
  • Aidan Guise
  • Dakota Inman
  • Landon Miller
  • Travis Snell
  • Tristan Stinson

Virginia State University

  • Preston Branzelle 
  • Alex Dayle
  • Thomas Ealey
  • Jayden Guthrie
  • Andrew Jackson
  • Norman Jackson 
  • David Johnson
  • Charles Jones
  • Gene Ligon
  • Josh Mahon
  • TJ McGowan
  • Marquis Smith 
  • Jaquan Tucker
  •  Julius Turner

Photo by Harati Project on Unsplash

Millers Top Seed for NSAC Championship

WILSON, N.C. – With the conclusion of conference play on Thursday, John Melvin University (LA) clinched the number one seed for next week’s New South Athletic Conference baseball tournament.

The NSAC coaches elected to use a weighted formula for this year’s seeding due to unbalanced schedules, granting a 60 percent weight to NSAC games and 40 percent to non-conference contests, but the calculated result aligned with the conference standings anyway. With only a handful of non-conference games still to be played, no team can overtake another.

Tournament play gets underway Thursday, May 1 at Fleming Stadium in Wilson, North Carolina.

SEEDINGS:

  1. John Melvin (LA)
  2. Mid-Atlantic Christian
  3. Apprentice
  4. John Melvin (FL)
  5. Virginia State
  6. Lighthouse Christian

Trojans Play Spoiler in Pair of Wins over Builders

HAMPTON, Va. – Virginia State took a doubleheader sweep of Apprentice Thursday afternoon winning both games 4-3. The pair of NSAC wins was just enough to knock the Builders from second to third in the seedings for next week’s conference tournament in Wilson, North Carolina.

GAME 1: VSU 4 APP 3

Both teams would get a hit in the first but wouldn’t score. In the top of the second inning Norman Jackson hit a one-out double that landed just fair, but he was left stranded.

The opening batter got on to start the third for the Builders via an error, then advanced to third after back-to-back groundouts. Preston Branzelle then got out of the inning after striking out the last batter.

TJ McGowan started the fourth with a single up the middle. A one-out double by Victor Johnson allowed McGowan to round the bases to score the first run of the game. Jackson then hit a single up the middle to bring home Johnson.

Hector Rivera continued the strong inning, hitting his first collegiate home run just inside the left field foul pole making it 3-0 Trojans.

The Builders managed to answer with runners on the corners with one out in their half of the fourth. Apprentice would use a two-out single to get on the board.

Marquis Smith started the fifth with a single then advanced to second after a Thomas Ealey sacrifice bunt, but would be left on third.

Apprentice used a two-out rally in the sixth to score another run making it 3-2 going into the seventh inning.

Back-to-back one-out singles in the top of the seventh got a runner in scoring position for VSU. McGowan hit a single up the middle to add an insurance run for Virginia State.

The Builders opened their half of the seventh with a walk, then a failed pickoff attempt allowed the runner to advance to third. That runner would come around to score after a groundout.

Branzelle tossed a complete game to pick up his fourth win of the season.

GAME 2: VSU 4 APP 3

McGowan managed to get to second after a single, then a failed pickoff attempt, but was left stranded. Gavin Stevens pitched a 1-2-3 inning on only six pitches to open the game.

After a double play to start the bottom of the second, the Builders put a runner on second, but Stevens was able to get the third out.

With two outs in the third Ealey worked a walk, then Jaden Guthrie hit the Trojans’ second homerun on the day into the left field stands making it 2-0.

The Trojans used small ball in the fourth after Jaquan Tucker hit a leadoff single, then was bunted over to second. Jackson then hit a single up the middle to score Tucker and advanced to second on the throw. After a Rivera single, Joshua Mahan laid down a sac bunt to score Jackson but was thrown out trying to go for second.

The Builders managed to load the bases in their half of the fourth with no outs. A sac fly followed by a failed pickoff attempt allowed all three runners to score making it 4-3.

Neither team got a baserunner in scoring position in the fifth or sixth inning.

In the seventh Jaron Ward was hit by a pitch then advanced to second after a wild pitch with one out.

Stevens faced the bottom of the Builders’ lineup in the seventh inning and got the first out via a strikeout. A HBP then a single to left put two runners on for Apprentice. The next batter grounded out to move the winning and tying runs into scoring position. Smith then caught the final out to win game two 4-3.

Stevens picked up his fourth win of the season.

VSU has clinched fifth in the conference tournament.

Story courtesy Virginia State Athletics; image courtesy Chris Wagaman/Waugtography

Tournament Seedings Taking Shape with One Week to Go

WILSON, N.C. – With just a little over one week left in the 2025 NSAC baseball regular season, we’re seeing the seedings fall into place.

Prior to the season, league coaches voted to base the seedings on a weighted formula granting a 60 percent weight to conference games and 40 percent to non-conference matchups. Yet as of today, that calculation has made no difference: the results are the same. However, with a few series left and several positions in contention, that could change in the home stretch.

TeamNSAC Pct.Overall Pct.Weighted Pct.
1. John Melvin (LA).867.511.725
2. Apprentice.714.647.687
3. Atlantis.667.618.647
4. Mid-Atlantic Chr..571.526.553
5. John Melvin (FL).400.368.387
6. Virginia State.385.310.355
7. Lighthouse Chr..227.194.214

The tournament gets underway at Fleming Stadium in Wilson, North Carolina at 9:30 am on Thursday May 1.

Photo by Wade Austin Ellis on Unsplash

Apprentice Sweeps Virginia State in NSAC Action

ETTRICK, Va. – The Apprentice School baseball team took a pair of New South Athletic Conference matchups over Virginia State Thursday, sweeping the Trojans on their home field.

The Builders took game one by a 3-0 score with all the scoring coming in the middle two innings. In the third, Nate Yeary brought home a pair of runs off a Trojan error in the outfield before Camden Richardson got the third run of the game home on a double that plated Jett Winslow.

In game two, the Builders got the scoring started on a Richardson sacrifice fly in the second inning before a passed ball scored another to push the score to 2-0. After a VSU homer in the bottom of the second, Apprentice scored an insurance run in the fifth on an error to get to a 3-1 final score.

With the wins, the Builders go to 5-2 in league play and improve to 19-11 overall.

Story and image courtesy Apprentice Athletics

Apprentice Snaps Losing Skid with 20-3 Rout of MACU

HAMPTON, Va. – Apprentice snapped a four-game losing skid in a big way Friday afternoon, taking down MACU 20-3.

The Mustangs struck first in the top of the third inning with a single run, but the Builders answered with the next 20 runs, five of which came in the third. Jeremy Harmon started the scoring with a RBI double before Caleb Russell kept it going two batters later on a RBI single to give Apprentice a 2-1 lead. Hunter Johnson then doubled, setting the table for Mason Cox to clear the bases on a triple that made the score 5-1.

The Builders tacked on 14 more runs in the fourth inning, sending 20 batters to the plate in the frame. The inning was highlighted by a Jett Winslow two-run blast early in the frame before AS added 10 more runs after the homer to push the score to 19-1. Another Cox RBI single pushed the score to 20-1 after five innings of work. MACU pushed two more across in the sixth to get to the final score.

Johnson finished the game going 5-for-5 with a double, three runs scored and two RBI. Russell went 4-for-5, while Cam Weston, Cox and Harmon each had three hits.

Nick Redman (2-1) got the win, going five innings, allowing just one run off three hits.

Story and image courtesy Apprentice Athletics

Builders Score 12 in Second to Rout Bryant & Stratton (VA)

HAMPTON, Va. – The Apprentice School baseball team scored in each of the first five innings, including 12 in the second, as they run-ruled Bryant and Stratton Friday afternoon, 20-6.

The Builders wasted little time getting on the board, using a defensive miscue and a two-run bomb from Jeremy Harmon to take a 3-0 lead out of the first inning. The run parade started in the second inning for Apprentice as the home team sent 18 to the plate in the frame.

In the second, the Builders had just four hits, taking advantage of walks and four Bobcat errors. Apprentice loaded up the bases before a walk preceded another Harmon hit, this time a two RBI single that doubled the lead to 6-0. Two walks and two hit by pitches with the bases loaded came next to push the lead to 10-0, and, after an error scored another run, Nate Yeary came through with a two-run single that made the score 13-0.

After a pair of fielder’s choices finished off the 12-run frame, the Bobcats scratched a run across in the third before the Builders struck back again in the bottom of the inning. Harmon collected another RBI on a single to make the score 14-1 before Matt Phoebus hit a missile to left center in the fourth to push the lead even further out to 18-1. After four Bobcats runs came across in the fifth, Hunter Johnson got a pair back in the bottom of the inning to get to a 20-5 score.

Harmon finished the day 3-for-4 with six RBI and a pair of runs scored. Yeary was 2-for-2 with a pair of RBI and three runs scored, while Johnson was 2-for-4 with three RBI and a pair scored.

Zander Mizelle (4-0) got the win, going three innings of one-run and four-hit baseball.

Story courtesy Walker McCrary/Apprentice Athletics; Image courtesy Kaitlyn Olson @shotsbyk8lyn