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Lancers sign two Bulldog seniors
5/17/2008 | Today's Georgetown Times Online Edition
Published on 5/8/2008
By R.G. Greene
rgreene@gtowntimes.com
Chris Wall and B.J. McConnell have been teammates since they first stepped on the baseball diamond at Georgetown High.
While neither will wear a Bulldogs uniform next season, they'll still be on the same side, as both have decided to continue their education and baseball careers at the University of South Carolina - Lancaster.
A two-year school, USC Lancaster will begin its inaugural baseball season in 2009. Georgetown coach Mike Johnson said the leadership skills of Wall and McConnell should be a plus as the Lancers look to establish themselves.
"One of the strong points of our team this year was the great mental approach and work ethic exhibited by our players," said Johnson, whose team finished 14-14 in '08. "From the first days of conditioning right on through the season, they did what was asked without complaining.
"Chris, B.J. and the rest of our seniors set that example. They were our team leaders."
Wall and McConnell played a large part in helping Georgetown reverse its fortunes this season. After missing the playoffs in '07, the Bulldogs came back to claim the Region 6 AAA crown and advanced to the championship game in District 7 during the playoffs.
The anchor of the pitching staff, Wall finished with a mark of 3-2 and an ERA of 4.47. Drawing the toughest assignments throughout the season, the lefthander kept Georgetown's playoff hopes alive against Lakewood on April 30, picking up the win in a 6-1 victory and forcing a deciding game for the District 7 championship - Lakewood won that contest 7-1.
At the plate, Wall posted an average of .318 and drove in 16 runs.
"We felt like we had something to prove," Wall said. "At the beginning of the year, nobody was talking about us having a chance (in the Region). We wanted to show everyone that we were a team that had to be dealt with. We all wanted to go further in the playoffs, but I was real pleased with how our season went."
McConnell ended with a .333 average along with two home runs and 17 RBIs. The glue of Georgetown's defense at shortstop, he also excelled on the mound, finishing 2-0 and striking out 20 in 22 2/3 innings.
McConnell boasted an ERA of 0.93 and earned the save in Georgetown's 7-6 victory at St. James on April 18, the win that clinched the region championship.
"We definitely didn't want to miss the playoffs again," McConnell said. "It was a good year and winning the region championship is something we can all take a lot of pride in."
Both Wall and McConnell expect to be in the hunt for playing time immediately and both are hoping to turn their experience at USC Lancaster into an opportunity with a four-year school.
"Being a new team, there is a chance to walk in and play right away," Wall said. "It's exciting to be part of something like that. I'm looking forward to getting there and getting started."
Said McConnell, "Chris and I have been teammates for a long time. He's one of my best friends. Both of us wanted (the opportunity) to play in college. I think we're both ready to get started."
