VIDEO: Ryan Addington Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – With the beginning of the 2016 season looming for Carson-Newman baseball, the athletic communications department will look at the position previews continuing with a look at the outfield with junior Ryan Addington (Cincinnati, Ohio).
Addington is the lone returning regular for the Eagles in this position group as All-South Atlantic Conference performer Bo Ausmus and Joe Tipton graduated in 2015. He spent time in center field and right field for the Eagles last season.
Ausmus was a two-time All-SAC pick and finished the 2015 season second on the team with a .343 batting average while leading the group with eight home runs and 39 RBIs. A four-year starter, Ausmus hit 27 roundtrippers and drove in 138 runs while hitting .319 in 182 games.
Tipton was the leadoff hitter and compiled a .252 batting average with a home run, 16 RBIs and five stolen bases while adding three assists.
"It was just great to play with them," Addington said. "Their leadership has just helped me develop as a player a lot and I'm sure it has helped all of the other outfielders. Being between those guys in the outfield it helped me be calmer out there."
Addington hit .268 with 16 RBIs as a sophomore playing in 38 games while tying for the team lead with nine stolen bases on the year. The junior racked up six multi-hit games and three multi-RBI outings as he played a larger role in the outfield for coach Tom Griffin. He missed a few games in 2015 with a hip injury.
"I've really been focusing on getting my legs back underneath me and getting my speed back," Addington said. "I've been able to work out my upper body the whole time but my hip has been hurting me over the fall and it finally out of nowhere is healthy again."
Addington expects to be joined in the outfield by newcomers, redshirt-freshman Brendan Campbell (Yardley, Pa.) and junior Hunter Wood (College Grove, Tenn.).
Campbell was also a standout football player at Pennsbury High School on top of being named first-team All-SOL and hitting over .500 his senior season.
Wood is a transfer from Columbia State Community College where he hit .337 with a home run and 21 RBIs in 2015. His best day at the plate came on April 18 when he went 3-for-3 with an RBI.
"Both of them bring speed," Addington said. "They are fast and are good outfielders. Campbell has developed a crazy amount since he came in last year. Wood has a great arm, good speed and a good outfielder. Both of them have good bats. They'll bring a lot to the lineup too."
Reserves in the outfield are senior Mitch Trzeciak (Charlotte, Mich.) and sophomore Patton Grooms (Whitwell, Tenn.). Trzeciak was a fill-in player in 2015 playing in 19 games hitting .375 with four RBIs and nine hits on the year while Grooms had three at-bats with his lone hit coming in the 8th inning against Cedarville on March 17.
Carson-Newman begins its season on Feb. 2 with a road trip to Limestone for a 2 p.m. first pitch. Broadcast coverage begins on the Eagle Sports Network at 1:50 p.m. with a pregame interview and starting lineups leading up to the initial toss.
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