Pitcher’s early adjustments give ZooKeepers boost

ASHEBORO — There are many reasons for a player to compete in a summer collegiate baseball program. But the main one, obviously, is to advance his skills in a number of areas and head back to his college a better player than when he arrived.

Asheboro ZooKeepers pitcher Ben Shepherd is on that exact course early this Coastal Plain league season.

In his three starts heading into action this week, Shepherd was 2-0 with a miniscule 0.75 ERA. He has allowed just six hits in 12 innings of work, walked four and fanned 12 as Asheboro is off to one of its best starts in team history at 9-4 entering action this week.

“I really am working on a bunch of things I struggled with in college this season,” said Shepherd, a 6-foot-6, 215-pound right-hander who plays at the University of South Carolina Aiken. “I’m looking to make my slider more effective and I want to work on pitch sequence. Working on just noticing the flaws in batters and knowing what pitch should be next.”

Shepherd said he is also working on a cutter and improving his curveball.

Shepherd couldn’t have started his freshman season at USC Aiken any better than he did. In his very first start on Jan. 31, he hurled a complete-game no-hitter against Mars Hill, walking one and fanning five in a 10-0 nine-inning win. 

He started 14 games, went 4-3 with 66 innings of work and 46 strikeouts. He was a second-team All-Peach Belt Conference performer and earned the NCBWA National Pitcher of the Week honors after his no-hitter. 

This, of course, is his first summer collegiate baseball experience.

“We have come together very quickly,” said Shepherd, who is from Trion, GA. “The sport of baseball is just a big circle and everyone knows everyone and everyone comes together pretty quick. It feels great knowing we have a really great team, knowing what we could do later in the season. Just hoping to keep it up.”

The ZooKeepers have supported their pitchers quite well this season. Asheboro has scored 107 runs, tops in the CPL, and is hitting .285 as a team, which is tied for third best in the league.

“I have a lot more confidence, it boosts the confidence on the mound knowing you have a team that can score some runs,” Shepherd said. 

“It allows me to pitch a lot looser.”

Shepherd said he’s enjoyed his time in Asheboro.

“Everyone has been very supportive, behind me,” Shepherd said. “Great support from the fans, coaches and players. It feels really comfortable playing with these guys. The best part of this has been bonding with players from all over the country, world really.”

The ZooKeepers have home games on Wednesday and Friday.