Conner Scarborough Promoted to @GWUBaseball Pitching Coach, Makes Additional Staff Adjustments
June 09, 2016 | Baseball
BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb baseball announced the promotion of former hurler Conner Scarborough to pitching coach Thursday afternoon and made additional staff adjustments within the program.
Scarborough, a native of High Point, N.C., spent the 2016 season as a volunteer assistant coach with the Runnin' Bulldogs and worked closely with a dynamic pitching staff. He replaces Ray Greene, who departed to pursue other business interests outside of coaching in Ohio. Greene served as pitching coach at GWU for the past five seasons and managed a staff that produced a combined ERA under 4.00 in four of those seasons – including a school-record 3.35 ERA in 2013.
Scarborough played a major role with the pitching staff this past season, as Gardner-Webb won a Division I era-best 37 games and finished second in the Big South Conference with a strong 3.90 team ERA. The 2016 pitching staff set a new school record with 456 strikeouts and saw three arms earn All-Big South Conference honors for the first time.
First-team hurler Brad Haymes tied Gardner-Webb's single-season mark with 11 wins, going 11-3 with a 2.20 ERA in 15 starts. He fanned 115 batters and became the first hurler in program history to win at least 10 games and strike out 100 or more batters in a single campaign.
Closer Wil Sellers earned second-team All-Big South honors on the strength of a school-record – and conference leading – 12 saves in 2016. The Kings Mountain, N.C., native made 25 appearances out of the pen and finished with a 3.33 ERA in 51.1 innings of work.
Honorable mention All-Conference choice Jeremy Walker showed the most improvement of any pitcher as the 2016 season progressed and, by season's end, had emerged as a premium talent. The Advance, N.C., junior went 9-5 with a 3.77 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 2016 – and is expected to be taken high in this week's Major League Baseball Draft.
"We are tremendously excited to have Conner Scarborough as our new pitching coach," said head coach Rusty Stroupe. "He brings a wealth of pitching knowledge and a winning attitude to our program. Conner has always been a relentless worker who has incredible rapport with our players and their families. Having played here, he is familiar with how we run our program and his character is impeccable. We expect our pitching staff to continue to improve under his leadership."
Scarborough spent the 2014-2015 season as Director of Baseball Operations at Big South Conference member High Point University, where he handled a wide variety of duties for the Panthers' program. He got his first taste of coaching in the Coastal Plains League (CPL), working with the High Point-Thomasville HiToms.
He also gained valuable experience as an intern in the Strength & Conditioning office at Wofford College following graduation from Gardner-Webb.
A 2013 graduate of Gardner-Webb, Scarborough made 75 appearances and 36 starts during his time on the diamond at GWU. He posted 11 wins, one save and 146 strikeouts during that time. His best overall season came as a senior, when he made 27 appearances primarily out of the bullpen. He forged a 2.45 ERA that season and fanned 41 batters with only nine walks in 58.2 innings.
He joined the Gardner-Webb family after a stellar career at High Point (N.C.) Christian, where he went 11-1 with a 1.00 ERA as a senior in 2009.
Gardner-Webb also announced Thursday that assistant coach Ross Steedley has officially added the title of Recruiting Coordinator to his duties. Steedley recently completed his second season – and first as a full-time assistant – with the Runnin' Bulldogs. His hitting instruction was key in GWU batting a very healthy .293 as a team in 2016 – and his recruiting effort thus far have produced excellent results.
"Ross has been an outstanding recruiter already during his time with us, so it is only natural that we turn over the primary recruiting responsibilities over to him at this point," said Stroupe. "He will continue to work with hitters and catchers, and has been a tremendous addition to our staff in those areas as well."
Gardner-Webb added former Pfeiffer University standout Jesse Park to its staff as a volunteer assistant. Park, who spent this past season as an assistant at Pfeiffer, pitched for the Falcons from 2012-2015. The Salisbury, N.C., native will work with the Gardner-Webb outfielders in addition to other duties within the program.
Gardner-Webb is coming off a 37-21 season that saw the program finish in a tie for second in the Big South Conference regular season. That finish was the program's best, regardless of conference affiliation, since joining an all-sports conference.
The Runnin' Bulldogs are poised for another strong run in 2017 as six position starters – including All-America second baseman Collin Thacker (.394), freshman All-America catcher Justin Kunz (.333) and All-Big South outfielder Danny Sullivan (.348) – return along with several other key pieces.
