2022 Conquerors Baseball Season Preview

2022 Conquerors Baseball Season Preview

In 2021, during his third season at the helm, Trinity Christian Academy Conquerors Baseball Head Coach Jon Murphy led the team to a 15-11 record. Their biggest winning streak was only two games, but their biggest losing streak was also only two. The Conquerors averaged 3.96 runs per game and allowed only 3.31.

Almost all Conquerors will return, and they are experienced, talented, and ready to compete for – and win – a district championship.

The coaching staff is the same as well, manned by Danny English (a state champion pitcher/first baseman) and former Major League pitcher John Wasdin.

Coach Murphy briefly discussed the team’s performance throughout last season and reiterates the players’ determination to become a force in Class 2A, District 2 in 2022.

Last season was an up-and-down year that featured some key wins against some quality teams,” said Coach Murphy, “but the team did not finish as strong as we would have liked. The team is on a mission this year to be consistent from beginning to end.”

Upcoming Schedule

Preseason play begins on Monday, February 15, with a visit to 7A Mandarin and a game the next night against 5A Stanton College Prep, played at Mandarin High School.

The regular season begins on Thursday, February 24, when the Conquerors visit Terry Parker then battle Nease the next night in St. Johns County.

A trip to an Alabama tournament follows, and - barring changes - the first home game is against Pace Academy (Atlanta, GA) at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, March 11. Of the 18 games that follow, 13 are at home.

Annual rivalry match-ups have the Conquerors hosting North Florida Christian (Tallahassee) on March 12, Clay on March 24, Providence on March 31, Episcopal on April 8, and Bolles on April 19.

Alabama Tournament

As they have done for many years, the Conquerors will travel out of state soon after the regular season begins. “We will be going to Hoover, Alabama, from March 3rd - 5th,” said Coach Murphy. “We will play four games in three days against some of the top teams in the country.”

The tournament schedule will come out at a later date.

Key Returning Players

The Conquerors return the entire starting lineup from last season, including four current seniors who signed their letters of intent to play college baseball on National Signing Day, February 2.

  • Catcher Eric Fouraker will play at Jacksonville’s University of North Florida (NCAA D-1).
  • Outfielder Noah Couch signed with NAIA Olivet Nazarene University (Bourbonnais, IL).
  • Pitcher/outfielder Ethan Wilford will play for Florida State College of Jacksonville.
  • Pitcher/second baseman J. Crawford will join Wilford at FSCJ.

Other key returning players include the following:

  1. Brady Ellison, LHP (2022)
  2. Colton Avera, 1B (2022)
  3. Alonzo Austin, 3B (2022)
  4. Logan Dantzler, OF (2022)
  5. Gaige Denby, RHP (2023)
  6. Landen Moore, RHP (2023)
  7. Ashton Nugent, SS (2023)
  8. Jacob Miller, OF (2023)

All these seniors and juniors still have a chance at getting college offers.

New Player to Watch

One incoming Conqueror who will make a big impact on this year’s team is RHP Brayden Harris (2026), who enters the season as the #7-ranked pitcher in the country for his grade level.

District Rivals

The Conquerors moved down a class from 3A to 2A this season, which means they will have new competition for a district title. Class 2A, District 2 consists of TCA, St. Johns Country Day School, Eagle’s View Academy, and First Coast Christian School.

St. Johns was 24-7 in 2021, a year in which they held the nation’s #1 position on MaxPreps for much of the season and finished as the top 2A team in Florida after making it to the state championship game.

St. Johns will look to avenge a TCA walk-off win in last year’s match-up on Ashton Nugent’s three-run home run in extra innings.

St. Johns Country Day has a very talented roster with multiple Division 1 commits, so they will present a tough challenge,” said Coach Murphy.

Postseason Expectations

Winning the district will not be easy thanks to St. Johns, who finished 2021 as the Class 2A runner-up. Coach Murphy, though, does not look too far ahead, realizing that he must prepare game by game for the playoffs.

The goal every year is to win a state championship, but that happens one pitch at a time,” he said. He has the talent, and the players understand what it takes to win a district title.

Biggest Challenge Preparing for the Season

Every new season brings challenges, but this team has played together for many years and knows how each other functions.

With social media, high school sports websites, news media, and college recruiting more active today than ever before, it is easy for players to get distracted. Coach Murphy reminds his players to stay focused on the team and the goal. “Staying focused on the task at hand…,” he said. “It is easy to get caught up in rankings and what other teams have. It is critical that we stay locked in on the task we are given each day.

The action begins at Mandarin High School at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, February 14.

BROADCAST NOTES:

Many TCA Baseball home games will stream live on YouTube: TCA Conquerors Athletics or on our audio channel, Mixlr: Trinity Christian Academy, Jacksonville.

Check our Facebook page – TCA Conquerors Athletics – weekly for updated game and broadcast schedules.

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