Playoffs or not, Adams will remember his senior year

ASHEBORO — There isn’t a senior student-athlete who doesn’t want to finish his or her high school career on a high note. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. 

But Asheboro High School pitcher Connor Adams is certainly putting an exclamation point on a stellar baseball career with the Blue Comets. 

Adams has had two very impressive starts in his last two outings as the Blue Comets had to wait and see if they qualified for the state 3-A tournament. 

Adams helped push the Blue Comets to the brink of qualification with a 17-strikeout, one-hit performance over Montgomery Central in the second-to-last game of the regular season and then a 3-1 win over Central Davidson in the first round of the Mid-Piedmont Conference Tournament.

Two must-win games for the Blue Comets and two dominating performances.

“He has meant everything from the pitching side of it,” veteran coach Brett Hoogkamp said. “As far as keeping us in games and in those games, his numbers are outrageous. That’s even when struggling early on with his command. As far as numbers go, he’s been incredible.”

Adams is 4-3 on the season, but the Blue Comets have had trouble scoring this season as they have registered three runs or less 14 times during a 9-16 season. 

Adams has pitched 49 ⅔ innings, struck out 81 and has an ERA of 1.87. He’s given up just four earned runs all season. He has walked 38, but only one base runner has recorded a successful steal while he’s been on the mound.

“As far as pitching, it’s been pretty good,” Adams said of his final year at AHS. “I’ve competed on the mound well.”

A wrist injury suffered early hampered his offensive output, and after a few games in which he was getting his stroke back, he reinjured the wrist diving back to first. That sent him back to the bench except for his pitching duties.

“He relies heavily on his fastball early, and his curveball has been his best secondary pitch,” Hoogkamp said.

He had everything working April 23 when he threw a complete-game one-hitter with 17 strikeouts against Montgomery Central. The only hit he surrendered came in the first inning when Randolph County Post 45 teammate Drew Harmon singled. Adams faced just one batter over the minimum.

“Believe it or not, I didn't know I was pitching until we got to the field,” Adams said. “Coach said I was pitching and it caught me off guard. I wasn’t in the right mindset, but I had to get ready. 

“I am one of those who just goes with the flow and it ended up great.”

Despite struggling to find the strike zone at times, Adams’ experience and talent have gotten him out of many tough situations. 

“I have always been inconsistent,” Adams admits. “Before the game, I can be feeling great and have one good inning and the next one won’t be so great. I have to get in a groove, and if anything happens, I get out of my groove. It’s a mental thing.”

Things went very well his next outing as he handcuffed Central Davidson 3-1 in the MPC Tournament.

“You can definitely tell early on if he has his stuff or if he’s going to struggle,” Hoogkamp said. “Regardless, we know he’s our guy. If he struggles, we know he’s going to go out there and battle. He gets stronger deeper into games. Once he’s on a roll, he’s tough. He gives us a chance to beat anyone in the state.”

After his third summer with Post 45, Adams said he intends to play at either Brunswick Community or Wingate. 

Either program will benefit.