SALEM (WSLS 10 SPORTS) - After high school it is uncommon to see athletes playing more than one sport, but two Roanoke College athletes are doing just that. Seth Bradley and Eli Sumpter play important roles on both the Maroons' baseball and basketball teams.
"Both these guys are very rare, you don't two sport athletes at this level very much, but both these guys do very well in both," Roanoke College baseball coach Matt McGuire.
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The basketball team finished with an impressive 19-7 record. With help from Bradley and Sumpter, it was the most wins the Maroons have seen in a season in seven years. The players hope that success translates on the field.
"We had a really good basketball season this year so I came into baseball season with a little momentum so I was able to keep it going," said Sumpter.
Bradley added, "Carrying it over, both of us knowing what's it's going to take to win a lot of games. Kind of helping out and instilling it into them."
So far, the baseball team is also faring well. At 19-12 the team has already passed the school record for most wins in a season.
"We've had a pretty successful season, I think both those guys are two big reasons why we've had the success we had. We can finish very, very strong, make the ODAC tournament, and have the best season in school history, but we've been off to a good start which is exciting," explained Coach McGuire.
Sumpter and Bradley are major contributers to one of the best teams the Maroons have had, but their stats speak for themselves.
As only a sophomore, Sumpter wears many hats on the team, he pitches, plays shortstop and second base. But his .320 batting average in 75 at-bats has really helped the offense.
"I've just been seeing it well, all the coaches working with us day in and day out, I've just been able to lock in," said Sumpter.
On the mound, Bradley, in his last year at Roanoke, has a 0.00 ERA in 16 innings. A stat he contributes to his team.
"As a pitcher, that's the main thing," he said. "Just keep throwing it in the zone, the guys have been hitting the ball off of me. It's just I've got eight other guys behind me playing great defense that have picked me up."
As the Roanoke College baseball program aims to leave it's mark in the record books, these two plan to leave their mark on both the court, and the on diamond.