Baseball Release - Senior Salute - Guilford College
Guilford's senior class of Zach Morgan, Andrew Duffy,
Luke Kempton, Brad Franklin, R.J. Marks, Mike Goettler and
Gabe Staub has compiled a 113-89 record in five seasons, one of the best
five-year marks in school history. The seniors have helped the Quakers to three
ODAC Tournament appearances and played on last year's 30-14 club that tied the
school record for wins in a season and finished second in the ODAC.
Morgan
has been a fixture at shortstop for the Quakers over the past four seasons.
He has appeared in 156 career games with 148 starting assignments. He enjoyed
his best season as a freshman when he hit .310 with 23 RBI and 30 runs scored. Morgan
has a .274 career batting average and ranks among the Quakers' career
leaders in runs (112) and walks (79).
Zach is a business management major and the son of Ron and
Marilyn Morgan of Kernersville, NC.
Duffy
started his career in 1999 but missed the 2000 season. A two-year starting
third-baseman, Duffy has appeared in 103 career games with 81 starting
assignments. He's enjoying his best season this year with a .366 batting
average, five homers and 29 RBI, all career highs. Duffy has a .318
career batting average, nine homers and ranks among the school's career leaders
in stolen bases (33).
Andrew is an athletic training and health sciences double
major and the son of Denis and Mary Duffy of Trumbull, CT.
Kempton
has started 162 of 164 games in the Quakers' infield in four years, almost
all of them at first base. He became the Quakers' career hits leader (195) in
Saturday's second game with Washington and Lee and owns a .337 career batting
average. An honorable mention All-South pick last year, he has improved his
hitting and fielding in each of his four seasons. Kempton stands among
Guilford's best in RBI (105), runs scored (156), doubles (31) and walks (89). He
received Guilford's Wynne Most Improved Athlete Award in 2001.
Luke is a business management major and the son of Steve
and Kathi Barnes of Greensboro, NC.
Franklin
joined the Quakers in 2001 after a season at Division I Elon. He promptly
hit .423 in his first season and earned second team All-ODAC honors. A team
captain, he has started every game in each of the past two seasons. Franklin earned
first team All-South and All-ODAC laurels in 2002 after setting school records
for RBI, runs and triples. A winner of Guilford's 2003 English Athletic
Leadership Award, he ranks among the Quakers' career leaders in RBI (116), hits
(150), runs (114), stolen bases (34), doubles (27) and triples (16).
Brad is a business management major and the son of Joe and
Sandy Franklin of Greensboro, NC.
Marks,
a team captain, joined the Quakers in 2002 after time at Rockingham C.C. and
N.C. A&T State. He broke into the starting lineup as the team's designated
hitter last year and earned second team All-ODAC honors after hitting .358 with
seven homers and 33 RBI. His .658 slugging percentage led the team and he tied a
school record with six hits in a win over Roanoke. Marks has a .330
average with nine homers and 53 RBI in 64 career contests.
R.J. is an exercise and sports science major and the son of
Richard and Diane Marks of Browns Summit, NC.
(action photo unavailable)
Goettler,
another captain, came to Guilford in 2002 from the Community College of
Allegheny County in Pennsylvania. He has been Guilford's top starting pitcher
this season and stands among the national and league leaders with an 8-1 record
in 12 appearances. Goettler threw nine innings of three-hit relief with
seven strikeouts in the ODAC Tournament final versus Bridgewater last season. He
has a 9-3 career record with a 4.37 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 26 Guilford
appearances.
Mike is a psychology major and resident of Eighty-Four, PA.
Like
Duffy, Staub began his career in 1999 as a reserve. His playing
time has increased steadily throughout his career and he has developed the
reputation as a fine defensive player with a good arm. He hit a career-high .240
in 15 games off the bench in 2001 and appeared in a personal-best 28 contests in
2002. Staub has started a career-high nine games this season and belted
his first career homer earlier in the year. He has a .191 batting average with
14 RBI in 77 career contests.
Gabe is an exercise and sport science and health sciences
double major and the son of Paul and Mary Simon Staub and Angela Conrad.
The Quakers thank the seniors and their families for the time
and energy dedicated to Guilford and its baseball team over the past five
seasons. Best wishes for continued success!
