Erik Lovett
Mount Olive College Trojans |
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For those of you interested in watching one
of the best college baseball players in the country play the
game, we suggest you head to the small town of Mount Olive,
North Carolina.  Just
watch the fear in the opposing team's pitcher's eyes as #27,
the reigning DII National Player of the Year, in the hometown
green and white steps to the plate. His name is Erik Lovett,
he plays first base and outfield, and he is as good as they
get. The North Carolina native's list of achievements for
the 2007 season are most impressive. Lovett holds claim to
the Conference Carolinas Player of the Year, he was third
in the nation in home runs (21), he batted .403 while setting
the school's single season record for home runs, runs batted
in (80), and slugging percentage. The accolades go on and
on and are sure to continue through his senior season.
Lovett became the first student-athlete in
Mount Olive history to win National Player of the Year in
any sport, and it's not out of the question that he could
win the award in back-to-back seasons. It all starts with
a talented group of players and coaches around him, which
is what Mount Olive has to offer as the #1 team in the nation.
The Trojans are currently sitting at 16-1 (their one loss
being to #12 Tusculum) and are looking to better their impressive
2007 record of 49-13 (20-3 CVAC). To do that, they will have
to depend on the play of Lovett.
The 6'0", 210 pound senior lefty began
his college career at Louisburg College before transferring
to Mount Olive in 2006. Lovett ended up redshirting his first
year as a Trojan due to a season-ending injury only four games
into the season. This led to his historic and record-setting
2007. A repeat of such a fantastic season is hard to come
by, however. There's no more mystery or surprise. Opposing
coaches and pitchers now know the devastation Lovett can cause
with one swift swing of the bat. Lovett won't see some of
the fat meatballs he saw in 2007. In fact, the lefty may be
the beneficiary of more than his fair share of free passes.
Lovett seems to want no part of that strategy, however, as
he is picking up where he left off last year with an impressive
stat line of .375 2 HR 15 RBI.
All the pieces are in place and the Trojans
are playing their best baseball ever as evident by their ranking
and play on the field. Fellow seniors Jason Sherrer (.444
5 HR 20 RBI), Anthony Williams (.379 6 RBI), David Cooper
(.377 9 RBI) and Josh Harrison (.306 4 HR 25 RBI) pitching
around Lovett wont be an option, which spells disaster for
opposing teams. What does this mean for Lovett and Mount Olive
in 2008? Simply put, it may mean upending the two-time defending
champs Tampa Spartans to win their first National Championship
in school history.
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