Wednesday’s collegiate baseball showdown between the College of William and Mary and Longwood University could serve as a homecoming of sorts for a handful of former Bay Rivers District standouts.
A total of six former area players – four from Longwood and two from William and Mary – could take the field at Plumeri Park when the 12-8 Tribe (2-1 CAA) host the 10-9 Lancers (2-1 Big South) at 7 p.m.
All six of the recent local grads played at Grafton or Jamestown High in the past five years.
The trio of Blake Ream, Kyri Washington and C.J. Roth, who guided the Clippers to the Group AA state semifinals last season, have made an immediate impression as freshman on Longwood’s team, while former Jamestown star Scott Burkett (’10) has been the Lancers’ starting catcher during the entirety of his tenure.
All four were named to the all-state team in high school and have successfully transitioned their talents to college level. This season at Longwood, Roth (.395), Burkett (.311) and Washington (.282) are second, third and fourth respectively on the team in batting average and have started nearly every game this spring.
Ream (2-2, 4.18 era) committed to Longwood as a pitcher but has been just as efficient at the plate for the Lancers. He leads the team with four home runs despite being in the lineup spot in just half of Longwood’s games this season.
Longwood’s four local products will recognize a few familiar faces in the opposing dugout wearing green and gold, too.
Senior Jackson Shaver, a 2009 graduate of Jamestown, has appeared in 16 of the Tribe’s 20 games while making 13 starts. He leads the team with a .509 on base percentage and is third on the club in batting with a .372 average.
William and Mary sophomore pitcher J.T. Castner, who graduated from Jamestown in 2011, is fifth on the Tribe’s pitching staff in both innings-pitcher (20.1) and ERA (.310).
What: William and Mary vs. Longwood
Where: Plumeri Park (Williamsburg)
When: 7 p.m. today
