Life, like baseball, is a tricky business, full of curve balls and unexpected events. The Harrisonburg Turks are disappointed by the injuries to various players previously set to see game-time this summer, but are confident that new additions to the squad will compensate for the loss of personnel. New members of the Turks include Davis Kirkpatrick, Mason Studstill, Tanner Dofflemyer, and Matt Young. What do these young men offer the Turks this summer?
Harrisonburg native Davis Kirkpatrick joins the Turks from East Carolina University, where the 6’0”, 187-pound senior is a starting pitcher. In previous years, Kirkpatrick has earned All American Atlantic All Region 2nd team honors as well as the 2013 Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention. He is the son of JMU football coach Donnie Kirkpatrick, and played for the New Market Rebels last summer.
Mason Studstill stands at a solid 6’2”, 205 pounds, and looks to further develop his talents over the summer before completing his transfer from Miami to Eastern Florida State University. We look forward to seeing him at the mound, where the sophomore’s pitches have been clocked at 90 mph in past seasons.
Tanner Dofflemyer is another 6’2”, 200-pounder who returns to the Turks for his second summer. A redshirt sophomore at JMU, Dofflemyer previously played at VMI. His presence will be felt throughout the infield area, as his veteran fielding will pose problems for opponents defensively.
Closing out the new additions to the Turks is Matt Young, who towers at 6’4” and weighs in at 225 pounds. Young is coming off a stellar year with the Oklahoma City Stars, currently ranked #1 in the NAIA World Series. Young played for the Turks briefly in 2015, but had to cut his season short. We are excited to welcome him back to Harrisonburg!