Combs settling in as South Lenoir's baseball coach

By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on April 4, 2014 1:48 PM

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aetzler@newsargus.com

Southern Wayne and University of Mount Olive alum David Combs immediately made changes when he took over the South Lenoir baseball program in 2013.

"He came out and was demanding," first baseman Justin Howard said. "Our coach before him was a little more laid back. But, he's played the game, this is his life. Everything he does pertains to baseball."

Combs played for winning programs.

In 2008, he helped lead Lenoir Community College to a runner-spot in the NJCAA Division II World Series. Two years later, while at Mount Olive, Combs helped the Trojans win consecutive Conference Carolinas championships and tie for third at the NCAA Division II College World Series in 2011.

His strict no-nonsense attitude altered the way the players approached the game. And it took some time for them to adjust to Combs' methods.

The Blue Devils finished 11-10 last season.

"(The biggest challenge) was getting the kids acclimated to how I run things," Combs said. "I coach a little bit differently, so it was just getting the kids to buy in."

Last year's team underachieved to the usual South Lenoir standards, finishing sixth in the East Central 2-A Conference after winning or being runner-up in the league every year since 2007. Before then, they had won 119 games under previous head coaches Tim Jenkins and Troy Eason.

This season, with a lot of youth, the Blue Devils (6-2 overall) have probably overachieved. They are currently tied for first in the Eastern Carolina 2-A Conference with a chance to take sole possession today with a win against Ayden-Grifton and a North Lenoir loss to Greene Central.

Howard credits his coach for that change.

"Last year we had a lot of talent, and less heart," Howard said. "This season, we have less talent but a lot more heart. He's pushed that into us."

Combs came into the program and stressed the details. He fine-tuned the players' mechanics and focused on the fundamentals. Most importantly, he made sure the players understood and accepted his philosophy,

"It's a little more military-like," Combs said. "I like things done a certain way and I like things done right and if they aren't then there's consequences."

Combs dubbed Tuesday's win over Goldsboro "an ugly one" after the Blue Devils committed four errors. The team had not committed that many errors since the first week of practice and Combs realized the need to go back to the basics.

"We're going to fix that," he said.