Post by The Cats on Dec 31, 2012 8:55:28 GMT -5
It's 46 days until first pitch at Hennon Stadium against Washington State.
While we're waiting, let's get to know this year's team and meet the juniors.
#5 Luke Gragg


Class: Junior
Hometown: Moravian Falls, N.C.
High School: Wilkes Central HS
Height / Weight: 5-6 / 160
Position: C/OF
B/T: L/R
2012 (Sophomore): Played in 37 games including seven starts as the designated hitter ... Hit .327 collectively on the season with 17 hits, all singles, and scored 11 runs ... Had four multiple-hit games and three, two-RBI outings, recording eight RBI on the season ... Was WCU's most-used pinch hitter, finishing 6-for-21 with a .286 batting average coming off the bench ... Batted .341 (15-of-44) against right-handed pitching ... Reached base safely in five-straight games for his season-long streak ... Finished 3-for-3 in stolen bases ... Scored a career-best three times in the second home win over Iona (March 3), walking twice and twice being hit by a pitch ... Collected a career-high three hits in a 3-for-4 outing against Clemson (March 14), driving in a pair of runs in the 8-4 home win; Played for the Lake Norman Copperheads in the Southern Collegiate League during the summer of 2012 ... Batted .266 (17-for-64), seeing action in 23 games ... Legged out three doubles ... Drove in 11 runs ... Walked and was plunked five times ... Was named a North Division Midseason All-Star.
2011 (Freshman): Played in 41 games making 17 starts including eight in left field, eight as the designated hitter and once in right field ... Posted a .318 batting average with 27 hits including eight for extra bases with 11 RBI ... Finished with six, two-hit games and two multi-RBI outings ... Hit .333 (7-of-21) as a pinch hitter and .323 (10-of-31) with the bases loaded in his rookie campaign ... After recording a hit, his batting average did not dip below .292 (3/29) the remainder of the season ... Recorded a career-long, six-game hitting streak through the first two weeks of May ... Picked up his first collegiate base hit in his fourth at bat, doubling down the right field line in a pinch hit role on Feb. 27 against Manhattan ... Belted his first career home run against archrival Appalachian State, blasting a two-run home run down the right field line as a part of a career-best three RBI performance.
Prior to Western Carolina: Was named the Mountain Valley 2-A/1-A Conference Player of the Year as a senior, also earning 2-A All-State honors during his final season as a prep by the North Carolina Baseball Coaches Association (NCBCA) ... Led all hitters in the state of North Carolina in 2010 by hitting .667 as a senior with 48 total hits ... His .667 batting average tied the North Carolina High School Athletic Association's (NCHSAA) single-season record previously held by Alex Hill of Vance HS in 2007 ... Finished with 13 doubles (9th) and 48 RBI which ranked fourth in the state ... Played for head coach Terry Johnson at Wilkes Central HS ... Earned All-MVC honors during his junior season while also collecting honoorable mention All-MVC in 2008 as a sophomore.
Personal: Full name is Jon Lucas Gragg, but prefers to go by Luke ... Son of Leslie and Debra Gragg.
Courtesy WCU Sports Information
While we're waiting, let's get to know this year's team and meet the juniors.
#5 Luke Gragg


Class: Junior
Hometown: Moravian Falls, N.C.
High School: Wilkes Central HS
Height / Weight: 5-6 / 160
Position: C/OF
B/T: L/R
2012 (Sophomore): Played in 37 games including seven starts as the designated hitter ... Hit .327 collectively on the season with 17 hits, all singles, and scored 11 runs ... Had four multiple-hit games and three, two-RBI outings, recording eight RBI on the season ... Was WCU's most-used pinch hitter, finishing 6-for-21 with a .286 batting average coming off the bench ... Batted .341 (15-of-44) against right-handed pitching ... Reached base safely in five-straight games for his season-long streak ... Finished 3-for-3 in stolen bases ... Scored a career-best three times in the second home win over Iona (March 3), walking twice and twice being hit by a pitch ... Collected a career-high three hits in a 3-for-4 outing against Clemson (March 14), driving in a pair of runs in the 8-4 home win; Played for the Lake Norman Copperheads in the Southern Collegiate League during the summer of 2012 ... Batted .266 (17-for-64), seeing action in 23 games ... Legged out three doubles ... Drove in 11 runs ... Walked and was plunked five times ... Was named a North Division Midseason All-Star.
2011 (Freshman): Played in 41 games making 17 starts including eight in left field, eight as the designated hitter and once in right field ... Posted a .318 batting average with 27 hits including eight for extra bases with 11 RBI ... Finished with six, two-hit games and two multi-RBI outings ... Hit .333 (7-of-21) as a pinch hitter and .323 (10-of-31) with the bases loaded in his rookie campaign ... After recording a hit, his batting average did not dip below .292 (3/29) the remainder of the season ... Recorded a career-long, six-game hitting streak through the first two weeks of May ... Picked up his first collegiate base hit in his fourth at bat, doubling down the right field line in a pinch hit role on Feb. 27 against Manhattan ... Belted his first career home run against archrival Appalachian State, blasting a two-run home run down the right field line as a part of a career-best three RBI performance.
Prior to Western Carolina: Was named the Mountain Valley 2-A/1-A Conference Player of the Year as a senior, also earning 2-A All-State honors during his final season as a prep by the North Carolina Baseball Coaches Association (NCBCA) ... Led all hitters in the state of North Carolina in 2010 by hitting .667 as a senior with 48 total hits ... His .667 batting average tied the North Carolina High School Athletic Association's (NCHSAA) single-season record previously held by Alex Hill of Vance HS in 2007 ... Finished with 13 doubles (9th) and 48 RBI which ranked fourth in the state ... Played for head coach Terry Johnson at Wilkes Central HS ... Earned All-MVC honors during his junior season while also collecting honoorable mention All-MVC in 2008 as a sophomore.
Personal: Full name is Jon Lucas Gragg, but prefers to go by Luke ... Son of Leslie and Debra Gragg.
Courtesy WCU Sports Information