BASEBALL TAB -- Cover story

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on March 15, 2014 11:12 PM

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A button-down jersey, pants, elastic belt and cleats may not be the ideal uniform for most people.

It is for Josh Frederick, Tyler Farmer and Hunter Barnett.

The University of Mount Olive trio understands that when they don the green-and-white on game day, there's a sense of pride and tradition they carry onto the field. They also know there isn't an entitlement associated with the outfit.

There's a high level of commitment necessary to participate on one of the nation's elite Division II baseball programs.

"You're not just putting on a uniform, you're living up to a tradition in a program where you're expected to come out and play hard, scrappy ... all of the things associated with Mount Olive baseball," said Farmer, a junior outfielder.

"You can't just go through the motions, but play your best and try to win each game."

UMO head coach Carl Lancaster has proudly watched each player mature in his own way, especially through their decision making. And each has discovered his role on the team through personal adversity.

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A senior southpaw, Frederick is the lone pitcher who has been at Mount Olive since his freshman season.

But it's been a challenge.

Frederick didn't see much playing time upon graduation from Eastern Wayne. He threw just 11-plus innings and decided to hone his arsenal the following summer in the Valley League. Frederick developed his fastball and curveball -- his two most effective pitches he displayed while on the hill in high school.

Once the 2012 season started, Lancaster and his staff decided to give Frederick a spot start during the week. Frederick attempted to embrace the opportunity, but failed to meet his standards.

"I couldn't really find it ... hard to say what it was," Frederick said. "Maybe I wasn't as locked in as I should have been."

Frederick made a few strides during his junior campaign. He logged a 2-0 record and 2.33 earned run average (ERA) in 191/3 innings on the bump.

Still, he wasn't satisfied.

A stint in the wooden-bat Coastal Plain League rejuvenated Frederick. He threw a team-high 581/3 innings with the Thomasville Hi-Toms and posted a 3.55 ERA.

"I had a good pitching coach with the Hi-Toms," said Frederick, who had the third-most strikeouts (40) for Thomasville, which used 22 different pitchers during its 54-game season.

"He let me do my own thing and understood that's what summer ball is about, finding myself again in my mind and pitching. It made me ready to come back here and show them what I could do after three long years of hard work and not a lot of success."

Frederick has three saves in five appearances this season with a 0.66 ERA. He's recorded 12 strikeouts in 132/3 innings and yielded just one earned run.

"I know it's more of a team aspect and we've been very successful as a team, but I've wanted to be successful for the team," Frederick said.

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So has Farmer.

"When I came here, I knew I wasn't going to play my freshman year, but if I worked hard ... did everything I was supposed to do, I could play my sophomore year," Farmer said.

He did.

However, the Charles B. Aycock alum missed the last four games of 2013 due to a torn ulterior collateral ligament (UCL) in his left arm. Before the injury, he batted .276 with 11 RBI and didn't get thrown out in five stolen-base attempts.

It was the second setback in his career after he broke his thumb as a freshman. Each injury forced him to miss summer ball and the Trojans' fall season.

"The UCL is right at your elbow and it's easy to tear while throwing a ball," Farmer said. "Surgery wasn't necessary because luckily mine healed. I was looking forward to playing summer ball.

"(Missing it) has its pros and cons. One good thing is I got to rest my body, come back fresh and ready to play baseball ... get back on the field. Plus, I had to get back into the groove of seeing (live) pitchers (and) getting my arm strength and stamina back."

Farmer is currently hitting .241 with two RBI and is 2 for 2 in stolen bases.

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A sophomore, Barnett considers Frederick and Farmer two of the team's leaders.

The Eastern Wayne alum stepped onto campus felt out of place during his freshman season. He didn't see any significant playing time in either the fall or spring.

Like Frederick, a stint in summer league ball helped Barnett refocus. He spent six weeks in Myrtle Beach and grabbed some spot starts in the CPL.

The experience hasn't led to more playing time, but it's helped Barnett figure out his role in the bullpen.

"Summer ball boosted my confidence and let me know I could play with the big boys," Barnett said. "I feel like I can come in for lefty-lefty matchups and come back to do it again the next day, which helps keep me in the mindset of what's expected from me each day I come to the ballpark.

"I've hit the weight room, which has helped, too."

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Lancaster leaned back in his chair and smiled like a proud papa when asked about the three county standouts he hand-picked to put on a UMO uniform.

He's undoubtedly happy he took a risk on the trio.

"Josh has been to watch grow up and he's a fine young man," Lancaster said. "He's doing really well in school and he's getting a degree to work with handicapped children. He's come a long way as a person.

"As coaches, we like to win games, but the reality is when the day is done and you see a guy like Josh go out on his own and be successful, that is great."

Always strong academically, Farmer continues to push himself in the classroom and its rubbed off on his teammates.

UMO posted a 2.99 grade-point average as a team in the fall.

"Crazy good in school," Lancaster said of Farmer. "He makes important decisions off the field. He's a good player and is just now starting to understand that we don't need him to try to hit the ball in the trees, but line drives and he's done that."

Arriving with zero confidence and battling with lethargy during bullpen sessions, Barnett found himself during the summer. He pitched well and is now an integral part of the Trojans.

"Right now, if you talk to him, I think he feels good about himself," Lancaster said. "Now he's a member of the team ... he's got a role."

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Team.

It's a group of players working together as one unit toward a common goal.

At UMO, the goals reach beyond regular-season conference and tournament championships. Every player who puts on a uniform knows he's part of a team that has the potential to play for a national championship each year.

Teams who beat the Trojans consider it a feather in their respective caps. But it's also a compliment to a program that's produced 23 All-Americans, three national players-of-the-year and sent 30 players to the professional ranks since 1987.

"We prove it on and off the field that we're winners," Frederick said. "It's not that you just come here to win, you work your tail off to win. (And) I want to do what we did my freshman year, except go further."

Mount Olive hasn't been to the College World Series since 2011 when it tied for third place. The last two postseason trips have ended on the Trojans' home diamond during the Southeast Regional.

Farmer, Frederick and Barnett agree the pieces of the puzzle are there. Barely 20-plus games into the season, Lancaster and his staff are still trying to find the right combinations that will produce on a consistent basis.

"It's more of a different team than we've had in the past," Frederick said. "Now we've got a crazy amount of speed, good pitchers throughout the whole bullpen who can throw strikes and we all have the same mindset right now.

"I really think we can do it."

When you wear the UMO uniform, anything is possible.