Golden Falcons' Sanford signs to play baseball at UMO

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on December 4, 2015 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

PIKEVILLE -- Charles B. Aycock senior Jacob Sanford didn't know he had the best of two worlds at one time until he met Rob Watt and Wayne County Post 11 Senior Legion head baseball coach Jason Sherrer.

Those two changed his outlook on the game.

Watt worked with Sanford' hitting approach in the batter's box.

Sherrer, meanwhile, developed Sanford's demeanor on the mound. He helped polish his mechanics and instilled a bulldog mentality of never giving up no matter the adversity he faced.

The three will be reunited again next fall. Sanford signed a national letter-of-intent to play at perennial Division II powerhouse University of Mount Olive next season.

"As soon as I saw what Mount Olive was all about, I was hooked from the beginning," Sanford said. "I really like Coach (Carl) Lancaster from the first day I sat in his office and talked to him. I knew it was a place where I felt like I could grow as a player and as a person. He was straight up with me the whole time.

"I felt like it was a good fit."

But one word -- family -- struck Sanford.

It's the same motto used at Charles B. Aycock.

The Golden Falcons posted a 21-win season and emerged as the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A state runners-up for the second time since 2012. Sanford saw some playing time and earned a save in an early-season game against North Lenoir.

In Legion ball, the right-hander posted a 0.00 earned run average in 15-plus innings on the bump. He permitted five hits, struck out 11 and logged a 1-0 record.

Post 11 shared the Area I East Division regular-season title with Wilson and Kinston, and lost to Wilson in the series to determine the area's representative for the state tournament.

That experience should help Sanford, who is confident he can produce on the mound and is eager to buid upon his Legion success. His fastball is his biggest asset because he throws from a lower arm angle than most pitchers. However, spotting his off-speed pitches has been his biggest adversary.

"It's mainly just me keeping my head straight and never letting something bother me, never letting one pitch carry over into the next because after the ball is out of my hand, there is nothing I can control," Sanford said. "(Coach Sherrer) taught me a lot of situational pitching. What to do in certain situations and when to throw what pitch.

"That made a big difference."

UMO has appeared in six consecutive NCAA Division II regionals and 14 overall since 1996. The Trojans emerged as the College World Series champions in 2008, and tied for third at the 2011 CWS in Cary.

Lancaster's program has produced more than 30 Major League draft picks, including one each season since 2004. Carter Capps, who had his jersey retired during the 50th annual Pickle Classic, currently plays for the Florida Marlins after starting his career with the Seattle Mariners. Tom Layne was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks, traded to the San Diego Padres and is now on the Boston Red Sox pitching staff.

"It feels great to go to a school where I know they can contend for a national championship every year," Sanford said. "I'm really excited about that and am excited to see what it holds for me in the future."