Statesville native leads six Owls into SCBL All-Star game

The Southern Collegiate Baseball League showcases its premier talent today in Spartanburg, S.C., and six Statesville Owls will be part of the All-Star game festivities.

Scott Glover, Andrew Rash and Justin Roland, as well as pitchers Brennan Daniels, James Kimsey and Sammy Stuart are among 23 players on the East Division roster. They face the West Division all stars at Wofford College's Russell C. King Field. Game time is 7:15 p.m.

"It's good for them and good for us to get them honored in this way," said Owls coach Jamie Lowe, an assistant coach for the East squad.

The all-star selection is particularly gratifying for Daniels.

The only Statesville native on the Owls roster, Daniels is 2-1 in six starts this season with a 2.03 earned run average.

"I'm glad I made it," said Daniels, a rising sophomore at Brevard College who helped make the Owls a SCBL championship contender. "I've always tried to battle all the hitters I've faced and tried to do as good as I can."

Daniels said he wasn't sure what his role would be for the East team, which features nine pitchers, but he feels certain he'll be handed the ball and told to take the mound at some point.

"I don't really know, but I imagine everybody will probably try to throw one inning so the scouts can see how we do in game situations," he said.

There is more in store for the all stars than just the game.

At 2 p.m., players try out in front of professional scouts. In addition to position evaluations, players will be timed in the 60-yard dash.

That takes place before batting practice begins at 3 p.m. and the home run derby, which follows at 4 p.m.

Kimsey (Mercer) and Stuart (Guilford) have been strong relievers this season with a combined ERA barely over 2.

Alternating between designated hitter and first baseman, Glover (High Point) is batting .370.

Rash (Virginia Tech) and Roland (UNC Charlotte) were not in the Owls dugout when the season started but both have been exceptional in the field and at the plate since their much-anticipated arrival.

A utility player, Rash is batting .407 with a team-best 24 RBIs. He missed the first week of the season but made an immediate impact for the Owls. In his first game, June 8, he went 3-for-4 and his eighth-inning grand slam propelled the Owls to a 6-3 win over Morganton.

"He's a good power bat, too," Daniels said of Rash, who has 10 extra-base hits, including a couple home runs.

Roland has been a staple at shortstop and in the batting order since joining the Owls midway through the season.

He bats .480 with a fielding percentage of .941.

Before coming to Statesville High his senior year, Daniels attended West Iredell and played against Roland, who starred at East Rowan.

"He's getting about two or three hits every night," Daniels said of Roland. "That's pretty good."

Lowe described the collection of Owls players selected to compete in the all-star game today as "special talent."

"I feel like those guys have really got it done pretty much every time they've been out there," said Lowe, before pausing and making a case for a seventh all star.

"We should have probably had another one. Addison Johnson has torn it up since he's been here."

Since finishing his season in the College World Series with Clemson and joining the Owls on July 3, Johnson, who played for Lowe at North Forsyth High, is batting .385. He had two game-winning hits Saturday in a doubleheader with the Asheville Redbirds.

"I kind of got a lot of flack over that because I didn't nominate him," Lowe said. "I just didn't feel like he'd played enough games, but he's hitting it well."

The Owls (16-17) were in Clemson, S.C., on Tuesday night to play the Carolina Chaos. Results were not available in time for this edition.

The Owls play a doubleheader Friday at Spartanburg before returning home Saturday for a key doubleheader, which serves as the regular-season finale. They host the Carolina Stingers of Fort Mill, S.C., with second place in the East still up for grabs. Morganton (9-8 East) and Statesville (8-7 East) are neck-and-neck in the division standings.