How Carson Wallace and Nick Schultz are powering the heart of Erwin baseball's lineup

Nick Schultz loves batting behind Carson Wallace.

It’s a pretty lucrative opportunity for Erwin baseball’s cleanup hitter. Early in the season, Wallace is getting on base over 70% of the time, which, even through four games, is a remarkably high number.

Wallace, a junior shortstop, is 10-for-15 with six doubles. He sets the table for Schultz, the senior catcher, who has already driven in nine runs.

“They’re really anchoring everything we do offensively,” Erwin coach Dylan Jones said. “It seems like through the first four games, anytime anybody gets on, they’re driving them in.”

Wallace likes batting in front of Schultz just as much. Schultz provides protection in the order, meaning teams won’t pitch around him with a slugger on deck.

“It gives me a lot of runs,” Wallace said. “Having that power behind me, just knowing that if I get on, I’m probably going to score.”

When Wallace gets on, which is close to a guarantee right now – in a win over North Henderson on March 6, Wallace was 5-for-5 with four doubles – Schultz focuses on what he calls a team at-bat. He focuses on doing whatever he can for the Warriors.

Schultz is a four-year varsity starter for the Warriors, during which he’s developed into a leader by example. While silent at times, Jones said he’s never afraid to call teammates out.

“Whenever your best players can also be good teammates, can also help the young guys, that’s good stuff,” Jones said.

Schultz said he’s trying to be a role model for his teammates by setting the tone with his actions. As catcher, one of the most important positions on the field, Schultz is in a prime position to lead the team as needed.

“Everybody is looking at my every play,” Schultz said. “They always see me, so if I keep a good attitude everybody else is going to stay in it.”

Wallace is transitioning into the baseball season after wrapping up a productive basketball season. He averaged 25 points per game and was named third-team All-District.

He kept up with baseball on the weekends, taking swings in the batting cage to stay in baseball shape. Basketball, he said, helped him learn more about working with a team.

“He’s a year older, maturing more at the plate and having more of an approach,” Jones said. “What’s fun about it is he’s really bought into changing his swing up. It’s always good when you do that and then you see success early.”

Instead of trying to pull the ball to left field, Wallace said he’s sitting back and looking to drive the ball up the middle. Against North Henderson, he hit one off the centerfield fence that he would have yanked a season ago.

At shortstop, Wallace plays between two sophomores, while freshman Caden Ingle anchors the infield at first base.

“I’m setting the tone in practice every day,” Wallace said. “Working hard and showing everybody what it takes, just trying to lead the infield. They’re all young and I’m the most experienced.”

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Erwin stumbled late in its Mountain Athletic Conference opener against Asheville High. It led for six and a half innings until giving up a game-tying home run and a walkoff single two batters later to lose 5-4.

The Warriors are pushing forward, looking to get back on track with good practices, Jones said. That starts with Schultz and Wallace.

“Whenever your younger guys get to see your older guys and what it takes,” Jones said. “Success leaves clues. Whatever’s being successful, they need to jump on board too. And we’ve started to do that.”

Evan Gerike is the high school sports reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times. Email him at egerike@citizentimes.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanGerike. Please support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Carson Wallace and Nick Schultz are powering Erwin baseball lineup