A former 24th round draft selection by the Houston Astros, John Wiedenbauer is 10-1 in his collegiate career, and has been a vital cog for the Spartans since joining the club. He's also a valued member of the Ping!Baseball blogging team. Check out his blog here.
RYAN KIRKMAN - unc pembroke braves PING!BASEBALL DIVISION II SPOTLIGHT
Throughout 2009 the UNC Pembroke has been flirting with inclusion in the Ping !Baseball DII rankings, and for good reason. The Braves have earned wins over top teams such as Francis Marion, Lenoir-Rhyne, Catawba, Georgia College and USC Aiken and established a new school records for wins when they notched victory thirty-four back on Apr 18 th . Yet like the nice guy who comes oh-so-close to mustering the courage to ask out his dream girl only to have the quarterback steal her away and take her to prom in his new convertible, UNCP has been stuck on the outside looking in. But don't expect the Braves to remain also-rans for much longer. Head Coach Paul O'Neil has his team climbing up the ranks of the Peach Belt Conference, one of the strongest leagues in DII baseball.
However as accomplished of a motivator O'Neil is, the wins take place on the diamond, not the dugout. A major reason why UNCP has been so successful this season is senior closer Ryan Kirkman. The Braves are 31-1 when leading after the eighth inning thanks to the CJ major from Liberty, NC . Kirkman has a 2.50 ERA and is averaging over a strikeout per inning (39K in 36 IP), while holding opposition to a .215 batting average.
Kirkman and his Braves teammates have a two-week hiatus away from competition before heading to the Peach Belt Conference Tournament on May 9 th – their first appearance at the PBC event since the 1999. If Kirkman continues to shut down opponents and he and his teammates eliminate the fundamental errors which plagued them last weekend when they lost a series to USC Aiken (9 HBPs in one game and 13 errors in the series) the Braves could find themselves playing deep into May.
PING!BASEBALL: I'm assuming that a big reason you choose to go to UNCP was due to the baseball program, but what are some other aspects of the school that you really enjoy?
KIRKMAN: I did go to Pembroke for the baseball however the first few years I went to a private college that was actually smaller than my high school so when I decided to go to Pembroke the larger atmosphere and the newer facilities were a huge asset that I had never had. I also thought highly of the criminal justice program and its staff. I spoke with all my professors before I transferred and they made me see that this was the place that I needed to be.
PING!BASEBALL: The second half of the season you've been red hot, winning 15 of your last 18 and eight of nine Peach Belt Conference games. Is there anything you can attribute for the victory streaks?
KIRKMAN:The beginning of the season we warmed up slow, we just couldn't seem to put all the right pieces together that we needed to in order to win. However, once we collected our thoughts and reassured ourselves that we were worthy in this conference, we just seemed to get red hot and played the way we knew that we should. All along, the captains of the team and the coaches knew we had the talent to win and that we just had to put all the pieces together and, once that happened, we were on a roll. Coach O'Neil is a great motivator and kept reassuring us that we would pull through and, eventually, we all saw the light that he was right. His words of encouragement and the will of God pushed us to where we are now.
PING!BASEBALL: I'm assuming that in a town as small as Pembroke, some weekend road trips are sometimes in order during the off season. Where have you had some of your most momentous trips?
KIRKMAN:My most momentous road trip was a beach trip that a few of my teammates and I took. One of the guys had a house at Myrtle Beach and so, one Thursday afternoon, we took off for a long weekend on the sand. It was a time that I will remember for the rest of my life, because it was with a bunch of guys that I feel are my family and we went down to just blow off some steam and forget about baseball for a while. After a few nights out on the town and a few days in the sun, we returned to school but the relaxation that we got from that weekend took the edge off.
PING!BASEBALL: What has been the best road trip you took as a part of the baseball team?
KIRKMAN:Actually, the best road trip that I have taken with the Pembroke Braves was this year when we went down to Columbus, Ga., and we were trying to get on a winning streak so Coach O'Neil promised us that if we won that week and won all three games that weekend we would go to Outback Steakhouse for dinner. We wound up winning and coach came through on his promise, we went to Outback and ate until we could have all exploded. The team comradery was steaming out of our pores and I felt like we could take on the world. We were a true family. I don't know if this was coach's plan all along, but it sure worked as far as making me feel that we were one powerful unit. This trip made me a believer that baseball isn't just about the field but about making it all worth while.
PING!BASEBALL: Hopefully, you'll have a postseason tale soon which supersedes it, but what has been your most memorable game so far playing for UNCP?
KIRKMAN:Although we lost a well-played bout with USC Aiken this past weekend, I have to say that, that was the most memorable game in my life. The reason being that it was Senior Day and my family was there to support me and see me off into the real world. After all, this game is just that, a game, and the real world is awaiting each and every one of us after we are finished living the little boys dream. With my parents at my side walking me to the third base foul line, I realized that none of the things I have accomplished would have been possible without their blessings and encouragement. I also realized on this day what all Coach O'Neil and the rest of the coaching staff has done for me while being here at Pembroke. We all have slip ups and mistakes that we make, but I feel that I had mine here at Pembroke, I have always had someone there to back me up and push me in a better and more direct path. So when all of this hit me, I realized on this day that this game no matter the outcome would be the day that would never forget on the baseball field.
PING!BASEBALL: You play for the Braves, but what is something you're deathly afraid of?
KIRKMAN:Well I am a man so it is hard for me to admit to all the things that I am afraid of. However heights and spiders are two for sure. One thing that I am deathly afraid of is the fear of looking back on my life and wishing that I had done something better or with more effort than I did the first time. I have always heard that one day you will wish you had taken the time and effort that you should have, and I have seen it work in my life already. Not giving everything that I have into something is a fear that worries me to death whether that be in my work or in my hobbies such as baseball.
PING!BASEBALL: If a TV show were to be made about UNCP baseball, what would a good title for it be?
KIRKMAN:Macho Emotions
PING!BASEBALL: This season UNCP has set the school record for wins, earned a national ranking and already secured a spot in the Peach Belt Conference tournament. How on earth will the Braves do without you next season?
KIRKMAN:(Laughs)That's not even a question that I am concerned about because the coaching staff here is dedicated to finding better and better players to help push this program to it's full potential. So, no matter the impact I have made on this program, the team itself will have no problem finding another individual to step in and relieve me of my duties whether it be by a new player or by any of the very talented players who are already here.
PING!BASEBALL: Can you sum up your baseball experience at Pembroke in six words?
RYAN KIRKMAN - unc pembroke braves 
Throughout 2009 the UNC Pembroke has been flirting with inclusion in the Ping !Baseball DII rankings, and for good reason. The Braves have earned wins over top teams such as Francis Marion, Lenoir-Rhyne, Catawba, Georgia College and USC Aiken and established a new school records for wins when they notched victory thirty-four back on Apr 18 th . Yet like the nice guy who comes oh-so-close to mustering the courage to ask out his dream girl only to have the quarterback steal her away and take her to prom in his new convertible, UNCP has been stuck on the outside looking in. But don't expect the Braves to remain also-rans for much longer. Head Coach Paul O'Neil has his team climbing up the ranks of the Peach Belt Conference, one of the strongest leagues in DII baseball. 
PING!BASEBALL: What has been the best road trip you took as a part of the baseball team? 
