Uncertainty filled the start of the Elon University baseball season, with a roster that sported 16 new faces.
Junior Jake Stalzer, a transfer from Indian Hills Community College in Iowa, is beginning to prove that he’s one piece to the puzzle in putting the Phoenix back together.
Stalzer threw his second gem of the week, pitching seven innings of three-hit ball with no runs allowed and three strikeouts in Elon’s 7-3 win over Wagner College Feb. 23.
He also went seven innings against the University of Cincinnati Feb. 17 without allowing an earned run. Those outings helped Stalzer earn Southern Conference Pitcher of the Week honors.
He improves to 2-0 on the year as Elon swept the visiting Seahawks.
“I just went out there and tried to throw strikes early and get ahead of hitters,” Stalzer said, “and let my defense work for me.”
Stalzer and junior Lucas Bakker, who took the victory on the mound Feb. 22 vs. Wagner, are both products of Elon coach Mike Kennedy’s first official recruiting trip to Iowa. Bakker, a native of Australia, transferred from North Iowa Area Community College.
The two are on track to be Elon’s starters on Friday and Saturday throughout the season and look poised to fill one of the team’s biggest voids after losing 17 players from last year — starting pitching.
“We thought all along that Bakker and Stalzer were going to be pretty good for us,” Kennedy said. “We brought them here for that reason. We knew what we were losing. We brought those two guys here to pitch on the weekend.
“That was the first time we actually got on a plane and flew out (to Iowa) and stayed about a week and a half. We got a chance to see these guys and see them more than once. It paid off. They’re out there, you just have to beat the bushes sometimes to find them.”
Stalzer, Bakker and sophomore Michael Elefante earned the three victories in a weekend series against Wagner. Though early and not against the toughest competition, Elon has looked sharp in clawing to a 5-1 record.
“It is good confidence, especially for a lot of guys that haven’t played at this level before,” said junior right fielder Quinn Bower. “Hopefully it’s contagious and we feel that we can keep doing it.”
Elon outscored Wagner 32-6 in the weekend series. Kennedy said he believes the team will be good offensively, and that was showcased in 14-2 and 11-1 wins to begin the weekend.
Junior Chris King went 6-for-10 against Wagner, driving in five runs in the opener alone. He hit a grand slam in the fourth inning to break the game open. Senior second baseman Sebastian Gomez was 9-for-12 on the series, driving in three runs and improving his batting average to .348.
Those two may have led the charge, but offensive output came from a variety of sources.
“Up and down the lineup, we’re having a lot of good at-bats,” Bower said. “A lot of guys are coming through with big hits in big situations.”
Elon took a 4-0 lead in Game 3 with three runs in the fourth inning. A throwing error from Wagner pitcher Steven Bloodworth allowed juniors Andy Moore and Blaine Bower to score. Gomez followed that up with a sacrifice fly.
The Seahawks (0-3) responded, though. Wagner plated three runs in the eighth after three walks to begin the inning all came around to score. Elon wasn’t fazed, answering with three runs in the bottom half of the inning.
Gomez brought in a run on a groundout, while junior Casey Jones doubled in two and junior Ryan Cooper singled in another.
“It’s pretty nice to see us respond and go back up and throw three more on there and give us a little bit of room,” Kennedy said. “It allows us to hold our bullpen a little bit and get ready for two midweek games. I was really impressed with that three-spot we put up in the eight. Some really good at-bats there.”
Elon will host the University of North Carolina at Wilmington at 4 p.m. Feb. 25 at Latham Park before traveling down I-40 to take on North Carolina A&T State University at 4 p.m. Feb. 26 in Greensboro.