Covington Lumberjacks Season Preview
Charlie Bernhert starts his first season as the Covington Lumberjacks’ new head coach after feeling accepted into the Jacks family. Coming from Florida, he was welcomed to the franchise in 2011 as an assistant coach when the Lumberjacks won it all. With a more experienced roster and an assistant coach who is on board, Bernhert (Nova Southeastern University ’08) is helping this family grow.
“The organization is so family-oriented,” said Bernhert. “Now being named head coach feels like I’ve been taken in as one of their own kids.”
The Lumberjacks family hails from just about anywhere but Virginia, giving a “national” flavor to the dugout. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Alex Javins (University of Virginia Wise/Covington, Va.) is the only local and the only Virginian on the team. He will represent his community this summer after appearing in 21 innings for the Division II Cavaliers.
Bernhert, who had been in an assisting role since the 2012 season, has some continuity with third-year returner John Wilson, a senior catcher from Manchester, Ky. As a junior transfer to Union College, Wilson turned in a .437 on-base percentage in 47 games in his first year with the UC Bulldogs. He may have left Eastern Kentucky University, but he has stayed with the Jacks since coming to Covington.
“John Wilson can show the other guys how we run things in the Valley League and Demetrius can, too,” said Bernhert.
The coach refers to returning senior utility man Demetrius Moorer (Point Park University/Homestead, Fla.). Like Wilson, he also transferred from EKU. The Lumberjacks will place him at the top of the order like last year when he achieved 18 steals and 20 runs scored, both of which led the team.
Like last year, many of the new players come from Florida. General manager Clint Collins (University of South Carolina ’00) and Bernhert brought in three players from Florida Tech: rising senior pitcher Gerardo Dudamel (Lake Wales, Fla.), rising senior outfielder Kevin Wortman (Palm Bay, Fla.), and rising sophomore first baseman Grant McKown (Lakeland, Fla.). Dudamel kept opponents to a 3.18 ERA in 17 innings as Tech’s best reliever. Wortman batted .227 with 21 runs in 132 at-bats. McKown batted .338 in 160 at-bats as one of the Panthers’ best hitters.
“Last year, we struggled to produce runs in key situations, but offensive production is going to be different in 2014,” said Bernhert. New assistant coach Eustaquio Ramirez, from Florida Memorial University will help coach the hitters to improve their craft.
The Jacks will look to get back to their winning ways in 2014. Bernhert wants his team to “respect the game and do the little things that we need to do win and develop young players.”
The Lumberjacks will start the 2014 season against the Woodstock River Bandits at Woodstock High School on May 30. They will have their first home game against the Front Royal Cardinals the next day at Casey Field.
—Dom Calandra
Photo by HaymarketJoePhotography.com
