South Legion catcher/designated hitter Jeremy Alderman is making the most of his last summer of baseball.
Alderman graduated from East Rowan High in the spring of 2000 and played for South’s Legion team last summer, but hit only .227. Then he headed for Appalachian State University, tried out for the team, but didn’t make it.
But Alderman still felt he had some good baseball left in him. That’s when that late birthday — the one he used to hate when other kids were driving before him — turned out to be not such a bad thing after all. His birth certificate granted him another summer of Legion eligibility.
Alderman’s made the most of his encore at South, keeping his batting average over .300 all summer.
Alderman’s not big and doesn’t have a lot of power or speed, but when you look at the boxscore after a game the lefty swinger always seems to have a hit or two. He’s fifth on the team in RBIs.
“Jeremy always seems to poke a few hits out there somewhere,” said South coach Allen Wilson. “When Jeremy goes up there, you hear the opposing coaches yelling, ‘Heads up in center — and left — and right.”
Alderman says it was a long winter and spring in Boone without baseball.
“When I wasn’t playing, I realized how much I missed the game,” he said. “I kept thinking about the Legion season. That last week of school when we had exams it was hard to concentrate, because I couldn’t wait to get home and play.”
Alderman prepared for his last lap in baseball with weekend throwing sessions with his dad. When he reported to Legion tryouts, he was as baseball ready as the high school guys who’d been playing since February.
“Jeremy came back physically mature and a whole lot stronger than last year,” said Wilson. “That extra year makes a real difference.”
Alderman has helped make South’s catching corps as deep as it’s ever been. Justin Pinyan, who does the bulk of the work behind the plate, has been hot all summer, while switch-hitting youngster Ryan Wilson is learning the nuances of catching from coach Wilson, a former backstop, and is already contributing key hits.
“Usually you wouldn’t keep three catchers on an 18-man roster,” said coach Wilson. “But we’re blessed with three quality ones.”
Alderman said he’s had the time of his life over the last few weeks, especially since every day is sort of a Mustang reunion with former teammates Adam Cornelius, Justin Miller, Raymondo Brady and Aaron Safrit.
“It’s been fun,” said Alderman. “I love being around all these guys. It’s definitely been worth giving up my summer to play baseball.”
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