Owls 2021 Baseball Season Preview
As Prince George's Community College baseball prepares to begin intercollegiate play for the first time since March 10th of last year, the buzz around the usual Region XX powerhouse is a bit different this year. The hard-hitting effects of COVID-19, which have crippled athletic departments across the country, have shown no mercy on the lone NJCAA Division III baseball team in the state of Maryland. Owls head baseball coach David "Buddy" Foster has his work cut out for him as he attempts to capture his fourth consecutive NJCAA Division III Region XX title.
The circumstances generated by COVID have created an uphill battle for the Owls as they look ahead to a challenging 2021 season. With just a 24-game regular season schedule as compared to a typical 45-50 game schedule, Prince George's will have little room for error if they want to continue their dominance on the diamond.
Coach Foster admits he isn't yet quite sure what he can expect from his team this year as health and safety protocols have severely limited face-to-face time with the team. With no fall practice season and the uncertainty of whether or not the Owls were even allowed to field a team this spring, coach Foster lost nine commits from his team due to various concerns over COVID. This has left Foster currently sitting with a roster of only 19 student athletes when healthy. On top of a depleted roster the Owls will need to get up to speed quickly as the Largo program is currently slated to begin regular season play on March 25th, almost three full weeks after the majority of their scheduled opponents will have started their seasons.
The Owls difficult 2021 schedule, which by requirement, solely consists of Region XX opponents is headlined by the fact that Prince George's will be tasked with facing Division I and II teams for 22 out of their 24 scheduled games. Their only division opponent will come at the very end of the season, an away doubleheader at Westmoreland County Community College to determine the 2021 NJCAA Division III Region XX champion scheduled for Saturday, May 8th. Should Prince George's split the day against the Wolfpack the Owls will be required to travel back to the Western Pennsylvania campus the following week in a winner-take-all 9-inning championship game. The winner will then compete in the Mid-Atlantic District Championship Tournament in a double elimination format between Regions 10 and 20.
One of the positives for the Owls has been their ability to retain their student athletes from year to year. Of the slim 19-man roster, the Owls return nine players from the 2020 season, five of which are now entering their third calendar year of being at Prince George's Community College since the NJCAA waived a year of eligibility for student-athletes due to the pandemic. Of those returning five, the coaching staff will look to their second-year captains for leadership early on; catcher Peyton Harmon (Palm Beach, FL), outfielder Trey Newland (Lake Worth, FL), and shortstop Jacob Willis (Prince Frederick, MD). Beyond the captains, the Owls also return other "third year" sophomores Aderlyn "Addy" Cubilete (2B) and Ryan Mahanand (P). Joining the veterans of the group from the shortened 2019-20 season are sophomores Cristian Desrosiers, Zachary Hurley, Grayson Lewis, and Logan Marx.
Although bringing back a strong core of student-athletes has been vital in preparing for the approaching spring season, the Owls will certainly turn to the newcomers early on as a lack of depth very well may be the Owls biggest obstacle this year. Despite the numerous setbacks over the past year coach Foster fully expects his team to contend for the Division III Region XX crown and to be back in the District tournament in 2021, competing for a spot in the World Series in Greeneville, TN.
The defending champions get a shot to finish what they started in 2020 beginning with CCBC Dundalk when the Owls travel to the Lions Den on Thursday, March 25th for a doubleheader against the first of many conference showdowns. The first pitch is scheduled to go out at 2 PM, ending the streak of 380 days since the last day competition for Prince George's Community College Athletics. The Owls will be eager to get out early against the Lions who have struggled to open the year as they currently sit with a 2-10 overall record. Game two of the doubleheader will begin approximately 20 minutes after the conclusion of game one. Spectators are currently not permitted at CCBC Dundalk due to COVID restrictions. Fans can catch the action via live stats here or tune in to the live stream produced by CCBC Dundalk's athletic department on their YouTube page here.
