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Chase Carpenter, 3B, Walnut Hills, Class of 2016

PBR: Why did you choose Wittenberg?

Carpenter: I chose Wittenberg because i loved the feel of campus and the baseball program. They are getting an entirely new facility consist of an indoor football field with an 8 lane track and indoor batting cages to work in during the off season. I like the way they run things at Witt as it goes with the lifting program and practice schedules. They have a very good business program which I plan to major in. I also like the feel of the small campus.

PBR: What other schools were you considering?

Carpenter: I had a total of 9 college offers. My top list was Wittenberg, Heidelberg, Bluffton, Lake Erie, Defiance, University of Indianapolis, and some NAIA. My mind was set on either Lake Erie or Heidelberg. But after reviewing every little detail, I found that Wittenberg was the best choice considering the location and roster and academics.

PBR:  Where did the coaches first see you compete and how did your relationship develop with the rest of the coaching staff?

Carpenter: The coaches first saw me on PBR. They contacted me after they saw me at the events or my online profile and video. I stayed in touch with every college coach even if I had no interest going there. After my visits to every school I had a great relationship with the coaching staff and we stayed in touch via text and phone call throughout the year.

PBR: What role does the coaching staff expect you to play during your first year on campus?

Carpenter: The coaching staff at Wittenberg expects me to be a major role my early freshman and sophomore year. I will of course have to work hard and prove that I deserve that starting position and I have a good chance of playing early on. Playing early on was a major decision in my choice.

PBR: Wittenberg is very close to home.  How much of a role did distance play in your decision?

Carpenter: Distance played a minor role in my decision. With Wittenberg being about an hour and a half away from home it still gives me time to come home and visit and for my family and parents to come out and watch me play. With my dad coaching me 10+ years, it would be nice for him to still be able to watch me play because he played a major role in my baseball career.

PBR: Who has had the biggest impact on you as a baseball player?

Carpenter: There were a lot of people who had a large impact on me as a baseball player. The most important was probably my father. My dad has been there with me my entire life to help coach me and make me a better person and ball player day by day. He got my name out there and sent me to the PBR events and helped me through the recruitment process. Without my father I wouldn't be where I am today.

PBR: Who do you play for in the summer and what was your most exciting experience playing summer ball?

Carpenter: During the summer I play for the Fairfield Elite. My most exciting experience will have to be traveling and just being with the guys most of the summer. In my mind, in order to be successful you need to have fun in what you are doing. Baseball is fun so enjoy every moment you have with you team and coaches and playing in fun and exciting tournaments

PBR: What were your stats last season?

Carpenter: My stats last season playing for the Fairfield Elite were pretty good. I hit .379 with 31 1B and 21 extra base hits and 30 RBI. My OBP was .455 and SLG .509. In the field I had 6 errors out of about 104 chances.

PBR: Who is the toughest pitcher you have faced in Ohio?

Carpenter: The toughest pitcher I faced in Ohio will have to be either Zack Shannon my sophomore year or Jay Wilson my junior and senior year. Both are hard throwing pitchers and it was a good test for me.