Former county players staying busy at next level

From staff reports
Published: April 3, 2008

A lot of athletes heading into their second seasons suffer what is known as the “sophomore slump.”
However, former Rockingham County Cougar Jake Loye seems to be not one of them. In his second season with Averett University’s baseball team, Loye is third on the team in batting average (.357) and leads the team in runs batted in (31).
Averett, 12-18 on the season, recently dropped a 6-4 decision to N.C. Wesleyan — in which Loye was 3 for 6.
On the season, the former Cougar shortstop is 41 for 115 with 23 runs scored.
He leads the team in slugging percentage (.565) having ripped 15 doubles, three triples and one home run.
Brian Knowles, another former RCHS Cougar, plays at Averett and has seen action in seven of the team’s 30 games.
Knowles, who has scored twice and driven in one run, has made five starts on the year.

Trent midway through sophomore season at Richmond
RICHMOND, Va. – Rockingham County’s Matt Trent, despite a below average outing recently, is settling in on his sophomore season with the University of Richmond Spiders.
In seven games this season – three as a starter – Trent has a 1-2 record with a 5.66 earned run average.
In 20 and 2-3 innings of work, Trent has struck out 14 and walked 10.
The Spiders are 12-14-1 on the season heading into Thursday’s game at Xavier.

Changes made at RCC
Despite the team’s 12-17 record, the Rockingham Community College Eagles may be headed in the right direction following a head coaching change, which occurred on Tuesday.
Former Rockingham County Cougar head coach and athletic director Sam Jones was named the new Eagle head coach Tuesday.
Jones takes over for Scott Cates, who was let go after 28 games (11-17 record).In Jones’ first game, RCC defeated the Greensboro College JV squad, 4-1.
Former Reidsville Ram Jeremy Revis was 1 for 2 in the game and is now 10 for 43 (.233) on the season.
Former RCHS Cougar Kevin French has pitched 5 and 1-3 innings and has struck out one and walked two.
The Eagles are back in action Saturday against Surry CC at home.

Four former Panthers playing in-state college baseball
Four former players from Morehead are currently on college rosters this spring including Russell Robertson (Western Carolina), Brad Turner (Averett University), Jared Via (North Carolina A&T) and Mike Shelton (Rockingham Community College).
Robertson has seen action in only one game this season, but he was part of history as Western Carolina took on Hartford. Robertson contributed with one hit as the Catamounts hammered Hartford 32-3.
The 32 runs were the most scored in a single game in Catamount history, surpassing the 29-run output WCU had against Marshall in 1992.
Robertson, a catcher, went 1 for 2 in the victory, which included an eighth-inning single. He went to second on a passed ball, but was left stranded.
The Catamounts are currently 12-15 overall and 2-4 in Southern Conference play entering this weekend’s series with Davidson.
Turner has seen action in 18 games this season for the Cougars, including 12 starts. The former MHS outfielder is batting .233 (10 for 43) this season with a team-leading three home runs to go along with nine RBIs. He also had three doubles this season.
In his most recent game against North Carolina Wesleyan (6-4 loss, March 30), Turner went 0 for 4 with a run. He walked in the bottom of the fourth inning and eventually scored on a grounder.
Averett, which is 12-18 overall and 0-8 in the USA South Conference, is back in action Saturday Greensboro College.
Via is in his first year with the Aggies, but has yet to see any action on the pitching mound. He played his first two years at Guilford College.
Shelton, a freshman at RCC, is out for the season with an injury.