Jacob Watcher

Photo by: Cliff Lavelle

Photo by: Milledge Austin/The Citadel

Photo by: Southern Conference

Photo by: V.L. Duffy

Class:
Sophomore
Company:
R/R
Position:
2B/RHP
Ht. / Wt.:
5-9 / 150
Hometown:
Sumter, S.C.
High School:
Sumter

SOPHOMORE (2016): Appeared in 17 games on the mound, starting 13 … made 23 appearances at second base … cemented himself as the Sunday starter after five appearances on the mound … made first start of the season on the bump against South Carolina on March 1, going 2.2 innings … pitched 3.0 innings in relief against the third-best hitting team in the country at the time, Richmond, on March 9 and allowed just three hits en route to his second win of the season … fanned career-high six at Elon on March 13 and did not surrender a run in 4.0 innings of work … gave up a hit to the second batter of the game on March 20 against Presbyterian and then retired 12 straight en route to fourth win of season … tossed a career-high 6.0 innings at VMI, picking up his fourth win of the season, allowing four hits and fanning five en route to the 4-2 win … matched his career long of six innings at Wofford on April 17 and against Furman on May 1 … picked up fifth win of the season against Western Carolina on April 24, tossing 5.0 innings and allowing just five hits … earned team-best sixth win of the season with 9-8 win over Mercer on May 8, striking out three and giving up six hits … led the team with 4.86 ERA and six wins … pitched 66.2 innings and tallied 44 Ks … held opposing batters to .285 batting average … finished the season tied for sixth in the SoCon with 42 runs allowed and 36 earned runs allowed … while not pitching, Watcher played second base or pinch hit … went two-for-four at the dish against Siena on February 28 … scored from first base to tie the game at two against Clemson on March 16 … recorded a single and RBI at Coastal Carolina on March 30 … laced a two-out double to the right field wall to score two in the fifth inning, tying the game at 8-8 on April 16 at Wofford … went two-for-three with one RBI and one double at ETSU on May 20 … executed squeeze play perfectly to score game-tying run from third base against VMI in the SoCon Tournament on May 24 … finished with .215 batting average, 14 hits and a .329 on-base percentage.

FRESHMAN (2015): Started 26 of the 33 games appeared in, finishing with a .309 batting average and .361 slugging percentage … named to 2015 Southern Conference All-Tournament team … collected 30 hits including three against VMI and UNCG … recorded first career hit at Georgia Southern on February 24 … plated first two RBI of career against Elon on March 8 … finished campaign with seven multiple hit games, five doubles and eight RBI … made 11 appearances on the mound and made first career start on the bump against VMI on May 22 … tossed 20.0 innings, fanned 22 and did not allow a home run en route to finishing with a 5.85 ERA.

HIGH SCHOOL: A 2014 graduate of Sumter High School … lettered all four years in baseball … member of state championship team in 2011 and 2014, the latter squad finishing 28-2-1 and ranked sixth in the nation by MaxPreps … selected to all-region team following his junior and senior seasons … named to the Red Bank Invitational all-tournament team as a junior.

PERSONAL: Jacob Benjamin Watcher ... born March 12, 1996 ... son of Chris (stepfather) and Liz Eppley … father, Tony Watcher, and uncle, Monty Johnson, both played baseball at The Citadel … majoring in business administration.