Three鈥檚 company, and when it comes to 草莓社区鈥檚 all-state baseball selections, it鈥檚 also historic.
A scrappy sophomore with a reliable bat was a key piece of that puzzle.
Outfielder 鈥� a 5-foot-9, 170-pound Rustburg High School graduate 鈥� led the Old Dominion Athletic Conference in hitting at .423 (47-for-111) and was one of three Royals named to the by Virginia鈥檚 sports information directors late last week.
Senior shortstop joined Hall on the first team, and senior relief pitcher made the second team. Players on non-Division I teams were eligible.
EMU had never had three VaSID all-state selections in the same season before.
鈥淚鈥檓 not surprised all three of these guys were named all-state after the years they had for us,鈥� third-year EMU coach said. 鈥淚 think each of them had different paths to this point.鈥�
But in terms of Hall鈥檚 path鈥�
‘A role guy’ to much more
鈥淭o go from the start of his year this year as sort of a role guy, to a guy you couldn鈥檛 get out of the lineup to all-state first-team, it鈥檚 a big surprise,鈥� Spotts said.
Hall was a part of Spotts鈥� first recruiting class and impressed people with how quickly he was able to contribute. After being brought in as a raw athlete, Hall hit .318 in 19 games (10 starts) as a freshman. Then, he surprised himself on March 3 in his first start in right field, throwing out two Mount Union runners 鈥� one at second base and one at home plate 鈥� during the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational in Winter Haven, Fla.
鈥淚 felt like I knew I had the arm for it, but at that time I didn鈥檛 know where it would go,鈥� Hall recalled. 鈥淚 honestly didn鈥檛 know where it would go.鈥�
Spotts envisioned Hall as a backup shortstop entering this year and expected him to become a key player as a junior and senior. However, one look at Hall鈥檚 speed during an impromptu relay race last winter was all Spotts needed to speed up the process of getting Hall onto the field.
鈥淗e always had the tools. It was just a matter if it could translate over,鈥� Spotts said. 鈥淗e never played outfield. We made him an outfielder. 鈥� It just became a matter where we couldn鈥檛 wait another year.鈥�
Getting Hall into the lineup paid immediate dividends as the All-ODAC first-team outfielder averaged 1.52 hits per game and finished with a .492 on-base percentage this spring. Spotts credited Hall鈥檚 competitiveness and simplified approach at the plate for his strong batting average.
鈥淗is bat certainly gets him recognition, but if you watch him, [he鈥檚 got a big arm in the outfield],鈥� Spotts said. 鈥淗eck, we put him on the mound because he competes so much.鈥�
As a closer, Hall didn鈥檛 allow a run in seven innings of work with eight strikeouts, giving up just two hits (both singles) and four walks. But clearly it was his speed that initially separated Hall, who Spotts lauded for his ability to drag bunt, push bunt and hit the ball the other way.
鈥淓ven when he was a freshman, I was facing him in the fall and he got an infield single off me,鈥� Marzullo said of Hall, who batted second behind fellow sophomore Griffin Stanley. 鈥淭he way he hustles around the bases and just how hard he plays in the field, it was obvious he was going to make an impact on the program. 鈥� He plays harder than anyone I鈥檝e ever seen.鈥�
Spotts said it鈥檚 still uncertain whether Hall will inherit Rodriguez鈥檚 role at shortstop 鈥� a place where Rodriguez 鈥済ave us calmness鈥� for three years 鈥� or continue to man the outfield. Hall, for one, wasn鈥檛 too concerned where he鈥檇 play next season, whether it is outfield, shortstop or third base.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 feel like where I play in the field will affect my hitting any,鈥� he said.
Marzullo tough to replace
As for Marzullo, a durable right-hander who led the Royals with 15 appearances? Finding a replacement to match his role might not be as easy.
鈥淲e鈥檒l be searching for someone,鈥� Spotts said. 鈥淚t was good to know if our starter gave us five or six innings, we could turn it over to Austin. We鈥檙e certainly going to miss him because I鈥檝e always said your pitching sets the tone.鈥�
The 6-foot-5 Marzullo (2-2, 2.76 ERA) was a first-team All-ODAC selection who had four saves in 32 2/3 innings for EMU after being initially disappointed that he wouldn鈥檛 be in the starting rotation. After struggling with command issues as a spot starter and reliever in past seasons, Marzullo said he changed his mentality on the mound.
鈥淭he first thing, I just had more confidence in my pitches, to be able to throw them across the plate at any time and trust that they will work,鈥� Marzullo said. 鈥淚t was also a focus pitch-by-pitch rather than results.鈥�
Marzullo went 1-0 with two saves over EMU鈥檚 final six conference games.
Program on the rise
Rodriguez and Marzullo are two of nine graduating seniors for the Royals, including former Riverheads High School standout Kyle Armstrong [see editor’s note] and former Stonewall Jackson star Ryan Henschel.
鈥淚鈥檓 excited to see how it ended for those guys, guys that finished on a high note and got our program to where it hasn鈥檛 been in a long time,鈥� Spotts said.
The Royals (16-18 overall, 10-10 in the ODAC) tied a program record for conference wins and snapped a 12-year playoff drought by securing a spot in the six-team ODAC tournament this spring.
Courtesy of the Daily News Record, June 23, 2015
Editor’s Note: Kyle Armstrong, listed in the original article as a graduating senior, has one more season of eligibility.