The Virginia Peninsula Community College baseball team has a big challenge in trying to top its historic 2025 season. Shane Harrison, in his fourth year as head coach, is confident the Gators can do it.
“I really believe we can win 25 games,” he said. “We had 16 wins last year. Obviously, I’d like to win more.”
But the number of wins didn’t tell the whole story. The Gators won a record 10 games in Region 10 play, beat each conference opponent at least once, won an NJCAA Region 10 postseason game for the first time, and players won one-third of the awards issued by the five-team conference at the end of the season.
If this year’s team tops those marks, they will do it differently. Last year’s team was built more on power. This year, speed will be the deciding factor, according to Harrison.
“This is the fastest team I’ve had since I’ve been here,” he said. “So, our speed is a big strength for us.”
That might dictate a change to his managerial style to take advantage of that speed.
“We have what I call our speed offense. It’s going to be fun baseball. It’s going to be a lot of stealing and getting bunts down,” he said. “Speed is definitely a game-changer.”
Harrison got his first look at that offense in a season-opening doubleheader loss to Bryant & Stratton on Jan. 23.
“Obviously, we didn’t win, but it was a good learning experience for everybody,” he said.
Making good first impressions were Cameron Byers (Christchurch) and Carmello Washington (Warwick High School). Byers was 1 for 3 with a double in the first game and 2 for 2 with two home runs and five runs batted in in the second game.
“That was impressive (for) a freshman in his first college games,” Harrison said.
Washington, who transferred from Ferrum College, played just the first game and was 2 for 3, including a double.
It’s not all about newcomers. Harrison already has seen the positive of having 11 players returning from last year’s squad.
“They were part of the history-making team,” Harrison said. “I’ve heard them talk to the freshmen and the guys coming in about how much we improved last year and what we’re looking for this year. The excitement of this season for the guys is definitely a strength, too.”
He also likes his pitching staff. He just wishes he had more arms.
“We’ve got four or five guys (who) are putting in the work and getting better every day,” Harrison said. “But our pitching staff numbers are a little bit low for as many games as we’ve got scheduled.”
Harrison adjusted the nonconference portion of the schedule this year in hopes of helping the freshman quickly adjust to the frenetic pace of the college game. In years past, the Gators often had a weekend game or series followed by a midweek game. This year in the preseason, he has scheduled more Friday-Saturday or Saturday-Sunday series where there are three games in two days, with one doubleheader.
“I didn’t feel like they got a true feeling of what it’s like to be in a conference all-day event,” Harrison said of the 2025 schedule.
This year, “they’re getting that feel of what it’s going to be like because … it’s a 10-hour day,” he said of doubleheaders. “So, when conference starts in the end of February, we know what to expect.”
Against Bryant & Stratton, Harrison worked in all the freshmen, making sure they had at least one at-bat or played an inning in the field.
“Just to get the nerves out of the way and let them get a taste of college baseball,” he said.
He met with the freshmen afterward, and they were surprised at the speed of the pitching. Instead of facing guys who throw 75 to 80 mph, they were seeing guys throwing in the 90s, a considerable increase.
“But it was good. It was good,” Harrison said.
As for his pitchers, Dylan Guerrette, a converted catcher from Durham, N.C., and Jacob Wells (Isle of Wight Academy) impressed.
“Dylan pitched his first ever college game and did really well. Jacob Wells also came in and pitched very well overall,” Harrison said. “I was pleased with our performance.”
That gives him hope for the conference season.
“Looking at our schedule and how we pair up against other teams, I really think we’ll be in the top three in our conference,” he said. “That’s our goal.”
That would ensure the Gators wouldn’t be in the conference -play-in game, which pits the No.4 team against the No.5 team, with the losing team going home and the winner advancing to the double-elimination part of the tournament.
“It was great to get past the play-in game last year for the first time ever,” Harrison said. “But we’re trying to shoot for that top three for us this year, so we don’t have to do that play-in game.”
The Gators (0-2) return to action Friday with a nine-inning game at Chowan University in North Carolina, followed by a doubleheader (two 7-inning games) the next day against Craven Community College, also in North Carolina.
For more information on athletics at VPCC, go to www.vpccgators.com.