Category Archives: Baseball

McCoy Inks with Hanover College for Baseball

ARSS, Baseball

Front (L to R): Pam McCoy (mother), Matthew McCoy, Steve McCoy (father)
Back: Charlestown Baseball Coach Brian Hester and Assistant Athletic Director David Abbott

Yesterday afternoon Charlestown senior Matthew McCoy was joined by family, coaches, and teammates as he signed his celebratory letter of intent to attend school and play baseball at Hanover College next year.

Nestled in 650 acres of a wooded campus and located on the banks of the scenic Ohio River, Hanover College is a private, liberal arts institution where brains and beauty truly intersect. Their rigorous interdisciplinary academic program with 34 majors attracts the best and the brightest from across the region and beyond.

Hanover College competes at the NCAA Division III level in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference, including Anderson University, Bluffton University (Ohio), Defiance College (Ohio), Earlham College, Franklin College, Hanover College, Manchester University, Mount St. Joseph University (Ohio), Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology & Transylvania University (Ky.) Hanover is home to twenty varsity sports including men’s and women’s basketball,  cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, track and field, men’s baseball, football and swimming, and women’s softball and volleyball.

When asked about his choice to play at Hanover College with the Panthers, McCoy replied, “Playing baseball at the next level has always been a dream of mine. Hanover gave me a chance to fulfill this dream. Not only does Hanover have a top tier program, but the academics and the environment is outstanding. Coach Bellak has been very helpful with the process of my future and my family and I are truly grateful for that. I look forward to playing for Coach Bellak and being a part of Panther baseball.”

New Charlestown baseball Brian Hester has not yet had the chance to coach McCoy as he is also a basketball player and hasn’t been able to attend pre-season workouts, but he has watched McCoy through the years of Charlestown baseball and had this to say: “Matthew is part of the strong foundation of all the good things about Charlestown baseball. He has the passion, desire, and work ethic to be great not only in baseball but as a member of society. Hanover will not only be gaining a quality baseball player but also an outstanding human being.”

Coach Jay Sorg, a long time hitting coach of McCoy’s, told those in attendance at the signing, “I am so happy for Matthew and his family. This is a great fit. Hanover is getting a great player and better person. I have had the privilege of seeing Matthew grow both on and off the field since he was a young kid. In all those years I believe this off season has been his biggest jump. He is ready to have a huge high school season and impactful college career. Words can not do justice on how proud I am of Matthew.”

WPMQ, The Pirate Network congratulates Matthew (a 4th year member of the Radio and Television program) and wishes him a healthy and prosperous future as a Hanover College Panther.

Article contributed by WPMQ, The Pirate Network staff member Gracie Snell.

Pirate Baseball’s Wigginton Signs with Spalding University

ARSS, Baseball

Front Row (L to R): Melissa Stewart (mother), Eric Wigginton, Karen Wigginton (Stepmother)
Back Row (L to R): Brian Stewart (Stepfather), Aiden Stewart (Sister), Brian Hester (Charlestown Baseball Coach), Kurt Meyer (Rawlings Tigers Coach) and Jeff Wigginton (Father)

Yesterday, Charlestown baseball senior Eric Wigginton was joined by family, teammates, and coaches to sign his celebratory letter of intent to attend school and play baseball at Spalding University in the fall.

Located in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, Spalding University (SU) is a non-traditional private liberal-arts college with certificate, undergraduate, and graduate programs in seventeen areas of study. Spalding University is a Top 5 School in the United States among those who operate on a block schedule where instead of taking four or more classes over 18 weeks twice per week, students take one or two classes every six weeks daily for approximately 100 minutes per day Monday through Thursday, allowing them to graduate in the same amount of time.

Spalding competes in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in 15 NCAA Division III sports including baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, track (indoor and outdoor), softball, and volleyball. Spalding baseball is currently receiving votes in the 2021 edition of the Collegiate Baseball News preseason poll. The Golden Eagles finished the shortened 2020 season with an 11-3 record, including a win over preseason No. 23 ranked Wisconsin-Whitewater. The Golden Eagles were ranked 18th in the Perfect Game Top 25 and on track for a third consecutive 30-win season when the 2020 season was shut down due to COVID-19.

Wigginton, who is a CHS Gold Glove winner, will major in business management and serve as a pitcher for the Eagles. Wigginton became a member of the Lumber Yard Baseball Training Facility’s 90 MPH Club this winter. The Lumber Yard is home to Wigginton’s travel baseball team, the Southern Indiana Rawlings Tigers Velo. When asked about his opportunity to play at the next level with the Eagles, Eric said, “When weighing all the pros and cons of what I was looking for in both a school, location, and opportunities in athletics, Spalding was the obvious choice. I am incredibly grateful for the support and instruction of my coaches, teammates, and teachers throughout the years who have played a role in my development as a student-athlete, and I am humbled by the belief that the Spalding coaching staff has placed in me to contribute to the Eagles’ pitching staff.”

Charlestown baseball coach Brian Hester shared the following sentiments on Wigginton: “Eric Wigginton is a coach’s dream. His passion, loyalty, and respect for the game and all that are involved has allowed him to excel as a player and person. His determination to work hard and to love the game of baseball has allowed him to achieve his goal of playing at the collegiate level.”

The Charlestown High School athletic department and WPMQ, The Pirate Network congratulate Eric and wish him a healthy and prosperous future as a Spalding University Golden Eagle.

Wigginton is the first of several Charlestown senior athletes expected to sign to play intercollegiate athletics in the coming months, so follow as we will share this news for all of those seniors.

Article contributed by WPMQ, The Pirate Network’s Dalton Hester.

Pirates Crowe and Wigginton Named School Winners for the Heisman High School Scholarship

ARSS, Baseball, Boys Tennis, Girls Basketball, Softball, Track & Field, Volleyball

Congratulations to Lanae’ Crowe and Eric Wigginton for being named Charlestown High School’s female and male (respectively) Heisman High School Scholarship winners.

The Heisman Memorial Trophy is renowned for symbolizing the pursuit of excellence with integrity. The Heisman High School Scholarship, presented by Acceptance Insurance, extends the Heisman prestige to our nation’s most esteemed male and female high school seniors by recognizing and rewarding outstanding scholar-athletes who understand that the most important victories not only happen on the field, but in their schools and communities. These remarkable young leaders set the example and make a game-changing difference every day, paving the way to greatness for everyone around them.

Crowe is a member of the Lady Pirate volleyball, basketball, softball, and track and field teams; Wigginton is a member of the Pirate tennis and baseball teams and is a girls’ basketball manager.  Both have advanced to the state round where those winners will be announced tomorrow.

https://heismanscholarship.com/

Ricky Romans Letter of Resignation to Pirate Nation

ARSS, Baseball

 

Pirate Nation,

It has truly been a blessing leading the baseball program for the last 17 years. When I was fortunate to be hired in 2004, I never envisioned being the Head Baseball Coach through 2020. There was something about the program, and the community, that allowed me to grow so close so quickly. As an individual that grew up going to school and working in Jeffersonville, I will never forget when asked “why Charlestown?” during my interview. My response was that I believed it was a great opportunity for both of us. All I wanted was a chance to coach the game I have loved since I was a kid. Mr. Johnson and Mr. Hall gave me that opportunity with only one year of high school assistant coaching experience on my resume. Their belief in me fueled me to work hard and do the best I could for Charlestown, which quickly became home to me and my family. We eventually moved to the area and have raised our family here since 2009. I have always believed in loyalty, and Charlestown has shown great loyalty to me through the years. Many changes have occurred within the administration during my tenure, as I have worked for many wonderful people including Principals Dick Johnson, Keith Hedges, Mark Laughner, John Rowland, and Amy Cook. As for Athletic Directors, I have been blessed to work for Tony Hall, David Null, Kim Carroll, and Chad Gilbert. All these individuals have allowed me to grow not only as a coach, but as a person as well. They have treated me with great respect, and I will forever be grateful for their kindness and generosity.

Personally, Charlestown High School helped me through many difficult times in my life. When my mother died in 2006, it was one of the hardest times of my life. Then, in 2016 when I lost my father, followed by my stepfather in 2017, adversity of life struck again. As I told our players, life is challenging at times. Sports are a great release from the real world sometimes, and coaching baseball and being around great people kept me busy during some of the most challenging times in my life. Much of that is due to the help I received from my assistant coaches through the years, which included John Smith, Darren Floyd, Brian Hester, Bryan Roberts, Jim Worley, Bryan Glover, Jeremy Eger, Kyle Craig, Joe Natterman, Chris Nickles, Matt Siler, Chuck Latham, Brian Smith, Josh Romans, and Rick Romans Sr. We had so many wonderful times on and off the ball field together, and I genuinely appreciate all their hard work and commitment to Pirate Baseball.

All good coaches realize that teams start and end with the players. Even though I have a list of players since 2004, I do not want to take a chance on missing someone so I will just say it has truly been an honor coaching each of you. We have had many exciting times, and some challenging and heartbreaking times as well. I am sorry we could not bring more championships to Charlestown, but I will never forget the exciting come from behind victory in the Sectional Championship in 2009 and the Conference Championship in 2015. It was always my goal for you to be successful on the baseball field, but it was more important for me that you turn into great young men. Hopefully, even though you probably did not agree with our decisions at times, you realize that we, the coaches, genuinely care about you. As I now step away, I want to say Thank You for allowing me to be a small part of your development and I truly wish all of you the best in your future. I will always be just a phone call away if you need anything.

Forever a part of the Pirate Family,
Coach Romans

Pirate Baseball’s Andrew Snider Signs with Morehead State University

ARSS, Baseball, Uncategorized

Front (L to R) Laura Snider (Andrew’s mother), Andrew Snider, Justin Snider (Andrew’s father) Back (L to R) Andrew’s Coaches Chris Nickles, Brian Smith, Ricky Romans, Chuck Latham, Zach Burkhardt (trainer), and Jay Sorg

Recently, Charlestown senior baseball player Andrew Snider gathered with family, friends, Pirate teammates to sign his national letter of intent to play baseball at Morehead State University during the 2020-21 season.

Located in the foothills of the Daniel Boone National Forest in Rowan County, Kentucky, Morehead State University (MSU) is a 4-year public university with robust undergraduate and graduate programs, emerging doctoral programs and an emphasis on regional engagement. MSU has 142 undergraduate and 69 graduate degree programs in four colleges: Caudill College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; College of Education; College of Science; and Elmer R. Smith College of Business and Technology. MSU offers associate, baccalaureate, masters, specialist and doctoral degrees, as well as undergraduate and graduate certificates to serve just over 10,000 students.

Morehead State University is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the Ohio Valley Conference, and the Pioneer Football League. In the NCAA, MSU competes at the Division I level in all sports, including the Football Championship Subdivision in football. The University field’s intercollegiate varsity teams for men in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, and outdoor track. The varsity sports for women are basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, indoor and outdoor track, sand volleyball and volleyball. Rifle is a sponsored co-educational sport. 

When asked about his opportunity to play at the next level with the Eagles, Andrew said, “It was a very tough college decision for me. I have been wanting to go to Morehead State since my freshman year and I finally get the chance to go to my dream school. I was so blessed that I had four schools wanting me, so my parents and I sat down and talked about the pros and cons of each one. My dad asked me one day if I was ready to make my decision. I said yes and so that is how I made my decision.” At the signing, coaches and other school officials highlighted Andrew’s work ethic and positive leadership. Andrew intends to major in 

The Charlestown High School athletic department and WPMQ, The Pirate Network congratulate Andrew and wish him a healthy and prosperous future as a Morehead State Eagle.

Article and photo contributed by WPMQ, The Pirate Network.

A WPMQ SPECIAL FEATURE: Brandon Broady Tackles Type 1 Diabetes

ARSS, Baseball, Boys Basketball, Boys Tennis, Broadcasting, Pirate Pride

 

A WPMQ SPECIAL FEATURE STORY

Brandon Broady Tackles Type 1 Diabetes

By Lizzie Hill and Sara Abell

Brandon Broady, a sophomore student athlete at Charlestown High School, manages school, three sports, and Type 1 diabetes (T1D). It isn’t every day that a student is dedicated to three sports and equally plays them well. It’s even more rare to find a student who does this and manages an autoimmune disease that could greatly impact his health.

Brandon was diagnosed with T1D in 2017. He first noticed his symptoms when his appetite changed and he began to drink excessive amounts of water. When he first learned of his diagnosis, he was curious because he didn’t really know anything about the disease. Type 1 diabetes is a genetic condition in which the pancreas creates little to no insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to allow sugar to enter cells in order to produce energy. This affects blood sugar levels and can cause hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia, which are both an influx in blood sugar levels. Both of these effects can have a devastating impact on one’s body and if blood sugar levels aren’t controlled this can lead to other illnesses, including death. Blood sugar levels have a direct impact on strength, speed, stamina, and flexibility. It is important that athletes with diabetes keep a close eye on their health to reach optimal performance.

Brandon has had his hands on a baseball since the age of 3, picked up basketball in 3rd grade, and rounded out his sports with tennis in 6th grade. Playing sports is an important part of Brandon’s life and he won’t let any diagnosis stop him from accomplishing his goals. Type 1 diabetes can have a wide range of effects on one’s performance during various sports so Brandon makes sure to keep a close eye on managing his condition in order to continue physical activities. When active in sports, Brandon tries to balance his blood sugar levels as best as he can in order to reach peak performance with an app on his phone and by human nature. He can easily tell if his blood sugar levels are off because he begins to feel tired, which would be an obvious negative effect to a three-sport athlete like Brandon. His go-to snacks to help his blood sugar levels are peanut butter crackers and Gatorade. He says it’s not scary because he has gotten used to it and it’s just a normal part of his life that he has learned to manage. 

With the diabetes have come some opportunities for Brandon. He serves as a youth ambassador for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).  JDRF has led the search for a cure for T1D since its founding in 1970. And just this week he got to listen to a speech by the Big 10 Baseball Coach of the Year, Jeff Mercer, from Indiana University Bloomington talk about playing ball and it really made Brandon feel good to hear him say that he is willing to work with and help those with some type of disability or impairment.  

Brandon says, “ Type 1 diabetes has inspired me to be more healthy because of the consequences it can have on your body later in life.” Managing Type 1 diabetes and keeping up with sports can be hard, but Brandon has proved it’s achievable. He goes on to tell other athletes to,“Stay strong and keep ahead of the game.”

Pirate Baseball’s Brady Latham signs to play at Kentucky Wesleyan University

ARSS, Baseball, Uncategorized

On Thursday evening, Brady Latham gathered with coaches, family, friends, and teammates to sign his national letter of intent to play baseball at Kentucky Wesleyan College during the 2019-20 season.

Kentucky Wesleyan College is located in Owensboro, Kentucky just 40 minutes east of Evansville, Indiana, 2 hours west of Louisville, Kentucky. KWC offers 29 majors and 13 pre-professional curriculums.

The Kentucky Wesleyan College athletic department sponsors 21 (11 men / 10 women) varsity sports, competing at the NCAA Division II level. Known as the Panthers, Kentucky Wesleyan is a founding member of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC), a conference comprised of institutions in Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, and West Virginia. NCAA Division II operates on a partial-scholarship model, and athletic scholarships are awarded at Kentucky Wesleyan at the discretion of each head coach.

When asked about his opportunity to play at the next level with the Panthers, Brady said, “Being able to sign with Kentucky Wesleyan is a blessing. I’ve worked so hard to be where I am and for this opportunity to be presented to be is a dream come true. I’ve been through a lot in my athletic career and I couldn’t be any more thankful and appreciative for the support system that I have behind me especially with my parents. As soon as I went on my visit and met with Coach Lillpop, I fell in love with the school and the program.  I couldn’t be any happier where I am at this point in my life and I am very excited for the future to come. I am forever grateful to have all the people in my life that I do. So thank you all!”

Charlestown Pirate coach Ricky Romans said, “I couldn’t be more proud of Brady for the hard work the he has put in during his time with us. He has earned this opportunity and there is no doubt in my mind that he will succeed at Kentucky Wesleyan.  I look forward to watching him improve this year and contribute at the next level.”

The Charlestown High School athletic department and WPMQ, The Pirate Network congratulate Brady and wish him a healthy and prosperous future as a Kentucky Wesleyan College Panther.

Article and photo contributed by WPMQ, The Pirate Network.

 

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