Terra Ceia’s Austin Roscoe named 2015 Washington Daily News County Baseball Player of the Year

The phrase five-tool player isn’t often thrown around in high school baseball, as the likelihood of a 16 or 17-year-old athlete demonstrating above average speed, the ability to hit for contact, as well as power, strong defensive capability and arm strength is rare. Former players like Washington’s Trent Whitehead and Northside’s Caleb Sherman have fit the multidimensional framework in the past, but in 2015, it’s Terra Ceia that’s home to this season’s diamond in the rough.

Sophomore Austin Roscoe has been named the 2015 Washington Daily News Beaufort County Baseball Player of the Year for being the catalyst behind the most historic season in school history.

“He was he key component in the whole thing,” said head coach Jason Wynn of his right-hander. “He drew the toughest assignment every time out, whether it was a conference game, tournament game or we’re playing Lawrence. He was going to get the ball.”

A unanimous All-Tarheel Independent Conference and tournament selection, Roscoe led the Knights in virtually every offensive category, including steals (23), hits (36), doubles and batting average. His average, a remarkable and nearly unprecedented .507, was the highest mark in the county by .041, besting players like Pungo’s Kellum Cahoon and Southside’s Lawrence Brown. He also finished with 21 RBIs.

His performance at the plate was dominant, but it was his contribution on the rubber that helped his team finish second in the conference, only behind perennial powerhouse Lawrence. Roscoe finished the season with a 3-4 record, a 2.93 ERA and 68 strikeouts, getting the call for every big game this season.

“He knows what he expects of himself,” Wynn said. “He knows the challenge at hand and goes out and does it. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to help him out a couple games earlier in the season with run support or excellent defense. Overall, he still pitched well during the games. His personal record won’t show that, but he had the toughest assignment every time out.”

Last season, Roscoe was one of three freshman named to the WDN All-Beaufort County Team (others were Southside’s Hunter Sparks and the Knights’ Austin Wynn), finishing with a .364 average and 1.71 ERA. In his two campaigns for the Knights, the crafty sophomore has dealt with a lack of run support, especially earlier this season, but has kept his team in close ballgames. And it’s paid off, as Terra Ceia managed a handful of sixth and seventh-inning comebacks in 2015. While the ERA has risen along with the level of competition, Wynn sees Roscoe’s second year as an improvement over his freshman campaign.

“He’s got more command over his off-speed pitches and that helped him a lot because the kid has a phenomenal arm with velocity behind his fastball, but he began learning that after a couple innings, good teams are going to catch up to that fastball,” Wynn said. “He was able to work in a variety of off-speed pitches this year and have more control over them, where he could throw a first-pitch curve ball and throw a hitter off.”

With two more years of high school eligibility remaining, the sky is the limit for Terra Ceia’s go-to athlete on the diamond.

“He’s the kind of kid to do things because he wants to get better, so barring and setback or injury, as long as he takes care of himself, I see him improving.”

Washington’s Patrick Thompson named 2015 Washington Daily News County Baseball Pitcher of the Year

Battling through four years of losing baseball, spurred by minimal run support and subject fielding, there’s no question Washington senior Patrick Thompson has had the toughest job of any player, maybe even athlete in Beaufort County.

“I think he had three one-run losses and two no decisions, which isn’t on him but mostly on our offense,” said head coach Kevin Leggett. “He could have easily had a better record and we could have had a lot better season. Every time he was on the mound we went in thinking we had a chance to win.”

Leading by example, he’s given 100 percent each time he steps into the mound, even with the odds stacked against him. For that, Thompson has been named the 2015 WDN County Baseball Pitcher of the Year.

“He had a lot more confidence this season and trusted he defense behind him, didn’t feel like he had to strike everybody out,” Leggett said. “He didn’t have any troubles this year, which was good, considering he had a few in the past which slowed him down.”

Fittingly, as Thompson’s time in Pam Pack blue and white reached its final days, the team began to come together, closing the season out with wins in three of its final four games. The senior right-hander fed off the energy and in his last game against North Johnston, Thompson tossed seven near flawless innings, recording four strikeouts, zero walks and giving up just one run on six hits — a 7-1 victory.

A four-year varsity starter, Thompson finished his final season for Washington with a 2.98 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 54 strikeouts, giving up 36 hits and 23 walks. He was selected to the All-Eastern Plains Conference team.

“He’s been on the team four years through a couple of different coaches, but he’s been one of those constants through all the changes,” Leggett said.