Ikenberry: 2017 Dukes 'Pretty Dynamic'
HARRISONBURG — Ky Parrott is the catalyst. It’s his role and he understands it.
“I’m the leadoff guy,” Parrott said. “It’s something that hasn’t really changed in over 100 years of baseball. My job is to get on base and then get to second base, whether it’s by hitting a double or stealing a base — I have to be the spark plug.”
Parrott, a senior, drew more walks (61) than any player in the Colonial Athletic Association last spring — he ranked fourth nationally in the category while leading James Madison in on-base percentage (.496).
Dukes coach Marlin Ikenberry said Parrott is slated to set the table again for what the second-year skipper considers a “pretty dynamic” lineup heading into the 2017 season.
JMU opens its campaign with three games this week at the Caravelle Resort’s Baseball at the Beach tournament in South Carolina.
The Dukes meet North Carolina A&T on Friday and St. John’s on Saturday. Both games have 3 p.m. starts and will be played at Pelican Ballpark in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The trip concludes Sunday in Conway, S.C., when Madison visits reigning national champion and No. 11 Coastal Carolina at Springs Brooks Stadium.
“I take the responsibility of getting us off to a great start,” Parrott said. “I’m the first at bat of every series and game.”
From Ikenberry on down, the Dukes feel once Parrott reaches base, the rest of the offense will follow.
“It’s really exciting,” senior first baseman Brett Johnson said. “We’re going to score some runs. One through nine in the lineup, guys can put it out of the park.
“We’re going to drive the ball to all parts of the field. It’s exciting and I’m looking forward to the offensive part.”
Last year, JMU ranked in the top five of the CAA for batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, hits, doubles, triples and total bases. Most of the lineup returns.
“We’ve got pieces,” Ikenberry said. “Left-handed hitters, right-handed hitters, speed, power. We have pieces to the puzzle that are in place. It’s basically about me putting guys in the right spot to be successful.”
Ikenberry said he has a great idea of what JMU’s batting order will look like behind Parrott. In the two-hole, Ikenberry likes shortstop Kyle McPherson followed by Johnson, catcher Zach Tondi and outfielder Adam Sisk in the middle of the order. Johnson and Tondi each hit seven home runs last season.
Rounding out the order are second baseman Josh Wyatt, third baseman Ryan Lynch and center fielder Mike Sciorra.
Ikenberry said the designated hitter spot would change from day-to-day.
The offense was good last season, but a CAA-worst 6.58 earned-run average from JMU’s pitching staff derailed any chance of the team winning consistently.
JMU finished 24-31 overall, but 13-11 in the league last year. The hope for Madison this season is that the pitching brings down the ERA to give its offense a chance to outslug its opponents.
Senior right-hander Brandon Withers, junior left-hander Colton Harlow and junior right-hander Josh Silvestri will begin the year as JMU’s set of weekend starters while freshman Michael Bechtold will open up as the team’s mid-week starter.
“Then, we have a lot of pieces in our bullpen that we didn’t have last year,” Ikenberry said.
One guy Ikenberry did have last season, 6-foot-4 southpaw Michael Evans, will get plenty of use out of work out of the bullpen.
Evans pitched to a 2.66 ERA in 44 innings while recording 39 strikeouts to only 14 walks.
JMU was picked to finish sixth in the CAA preseason poll by the league’s coaches.
Ikenberry said the team has one main goal above anything else.
“Our goal is to get this team to regionals,” Ikenberry said. “And there are several ways to get there — win the league outright, win the conference tournament or get an at-large bid. That’s these guys’ goal and they’re steadfast on putting in the time to hopefully get there.”