Power hitter, quiet leader

Trimble leads by example for JMU baseball

By MADI ALLEY The Breeze

It’s the bottom of the ninth in game three of JMU baseball’s first home series of the 2023 season. The Dukes trail Cornell 5-3 with two outs and bases loaded. Sophomore outfielder Fenwick Trimble steps into the batter’s box with a chance to keep the Dukes alive.

“I actually made a base running error in the bottom of the eighth inning and it cost us,” Trimble said. “So kind of that whole inning I was like, ‘Please let me get up again so I can redeem myself.’”

The sophomore delivered, driving a grand slam out to right center on his final at-bat of the day. The game-winning grand slam secured the Dukes a 7-5 win.

“When we have a guy that can hit a home run at any point, it helps tremendously,” redshirt senior infielder Kyle Novak said.

Trimble’s success in the batter’s box this season has been pivotal in redefining the Dukes’ offense after losing key producers last season.

After the conclusion of the 2022 season, the Dukes needed hitters who could start to fill the holes left by MLB draft pick Chase DeLauter and U. Va. transfer Travis Reifsnider.

“I had to step up a little bit, but I don’t look at it as a pressure thing,” Trimble said. “I look at it more like I worked hard to get to this position and this is what I want.”

The sophomore wasted no time becoming the top threat for the Dukes this season in the batter’s box, leading in hits, home runs and RBIs.

Trimble credits assistant coach Michael Roberts for pushing him to make adjustments and holding him to a high standard.

“You always want someone pushing you, and I think the biggest X factor this year has been coach Mike Roberts,” Trimble said. “The way he pushes us and pulls out extra work that we didn’t necessarily know we had within ourselves — I definitely think that has been a key for this year.”

Roberts joined the program in August 2022 after serving as the special assistant to the head coach at U.Va. Roberts played collegiately under JMU head coach, Marlin Ikenberry, at VMI and was later drafted to the MLB in 2008, playing for the Milwaukee Brewers until 2012.

Coach Roberts said it’s Trimble’s “adaptability” that makes him such a coachable player.

“I can mention something to him and he’ll be able to put it into action pretty quickly. I can say, ‘Hey, you should try this with your hands—and within a few pitches,’” Roberts said. “He’s able to do that pretty consistently. A lot of other hitters can’t do that, period.”

Trimble had his sights set on making improvements and “fine-tuning” his game heading into his sophomore season.

“I wanted to get better in as many aspects as I could,” Trimble said. “I just wanted to be confident defensively and also in the batter’s box too.”

The sophomore’s success with hitting this spring stemmed from a season of growth and adjustment after “really struggling, not hitting anything” in the fall, Roberts said.

But that changed in the spring.

“He didn’t second guess it and he kept plugging away with it,” Roberts said. “Finally, you know, after three or four weeks where he didn’t hit the ball period, it all clicked. He hit the ball and, I mean, he crushed it.”

Novak tipped his hat to Trimble’s work ethic and dedication during the offseason.

“He was just grinding every day, working so hard on his swing. Hitting extra swings inside our indoor cages and working every day on finding his swing with Mike,” Novak said. “And then, he found it, and he’s been crushing it since.”

Trimble has already crushed nine home runs this season in 31 games. As a freshman, he only tallied seven across the whole 2022 season.

“If he continues to progress like he has over the past few months, and then you look at another year or two, he’s got a chance to be a really special talent and a special player for JMU baseball,” Roberts said.

Roberts said it’s not just Trimble’s strength on the field that makes him special but also his character and the ways in which he leads by example for the Dukes.

“He’s such a great teammate, and he’s here to serve others,” Roberts said. “That’s what it’s all about, right? That’s the best thing I can say about him.”

Novak echoed Roberts, putting an emphasis on Trimble’s quiet, yet confident leadership style.

“He’s not the guy that’s screaming and getting everyone fired up in the middle of the circle,” Novak said. “He’s the kind of the guy that just goes up to you individually, and just gives you little pointers and things to keep your confidence up and keep you pushing through the game.”

Trimble and the Dukes will continue their offensive goal of applying pressure as they prepare for their three-game series down in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, against Southern Miss. The first pitch of the series is set for Friday at 7 p.m.

CONTACT Madi Alley at alleyml@dukes.jmu. edu. For more baseball coverage, follow the sports desk on Twitter @TheBreezeSports.

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