By Jamal Davis
In recent years the Matoaca baseball program has developed a tradition of having a good number of its athletes continue to play at the next level. Senior James Womack is no exception. This past week Womack, a 6-2, 170-pound pitcher, committed to
Randolph-Macon College, where he plans to continue his playing career.
Last season for the Warriors, Womack did a little bit of everything. He was described by his coach as being a “utility” or “multi-purpose” type of player because of his ability to switch positions and still thrive while doing so. He was named second team All-Conference 12 as a second baseman, even though his best position is pitcher. Though he was mostly used as a relief pitcher as a closer, he has continued to make strides and improve his game throughout his time at Matoaca.
“His pitching has improved tremendously,” said Matoaca coach Tim Haynes. “He’s done a nice job with his off-speed change-up, and his slider and fastball have gotten stronger as well.”
Womack also contributed towards leading the Warriors to a 16-3 record with one of those wins coming against a Prince George team that was undefeated at the time. The Warriors won that game 3-2, and Womack scored the winning run. Despite playing such a huge part in a good season and a big win, Womack doesn’t let that get to his head. Instead he continues to work extremely hard to develop his game.
“James works very, very hard to improve his game,” Haynes explained. “He’s always doing some extra hitting, or pitching, or even just working out at Rise to condition and get himself ready for the season. Macon got themselves a good young man.”
By committing to Randolph Macon, Womack will eventually join fellow Matoaca alum Rick Spiers on the Yellow Jackets’ roster. He will look to contribute to a team that finished with 35-8-1 record and went on to win an ODAC Championship. Though they will have to wait a year for him to graduate before he can officially join the team, one thing is for sure: Randolph-Macon gained a talented young athlete in James Womack.
