HAMLET — A successful summer in the outfield and at the plate secured Ashton Phifer’s dream of playing baseball at the college level.
The left-handed hitting outfielder announced his commitment earlier this month to play for St. Andrews University.
Phifer, who graduated from Richmond Senior High School in June, has been a starting player for the Hamlet Post 49 baseball team all summer.
“I’m glad to be able to play at the next level,” Phifer said. “That’s what I’ve always wanted to do.
“I talked to Coach (Andy) Fox a lot and he always made me feel really good about what St. Andrews has to offer. I just went with my gut and committed.”
With the help of Hamlet’s head coach Chip Gordon and the rest of the coaching staff, Phifer was put in contact with several college coaches at the beginning of the American Legion season.
An instant connection with Fox, who has been the Knights’ head coach since 2016, led to Phifer taking a visit to the Laurinburg campus in early June. A few weeks later at a Post 49 game, he received an official offer.
Phifer also fielded an offer from Southeastern Community College and interest from Brunswick and Cleveland community colleges.
He explained that having many discussions with Gordon “really set my decision in place.”
“I was hoping to go in and play my first year and that was something I felt that I could do at St. Andrews,” Phifer said. “Coach Fox was really interested in me as a player and that made me feel like it was the right choice.
“One of the things I like most about their program is that they like guys who fight and compete,” he added. “At St. Andrews, it’s not just about winning. It’s also about grit and being ready to compete, which is the type of player I am. That’s why I think it’s the best fit for me.”
Phifer also said he really liked the Knights’ facilities, especially the weight room.
“The coaching staff as whole is proud of Ashton,” Gordon shared. “We knew from the get go we knew he needed to be playing at the next level. We went right to work to make that happen.
“Ashton’s commitment and work ethic solidified that he can be successful not only at our level, but also at the collegiate level.”
With his commitment, Phifer became the sixth Post 49 player to join the college level since the program restarted in 2021. The others who have signed are former Richmond teammate Cameron Way, Ra’Nes and Ra’Nik Little, Trace Ricketts and most recently, Ryley Norton.
This summer, Phifer has played in 15 of Hamlet’s 18 games, all of them as a starting outfielder. Serving mostly as the right fielder, Phifer has also played left and center and made one pitching appearance.
In the field he has an .875 fielding percentage with 20 putouts, one assist and one double play.
Serving as a second leadoff batter in the nine hole, Phifer’s .348 batting average leads the team heading into the playoffs. His 16 hits are second best on the team, seeing Phifer barrel up a dozen singles and four doubles.
Phifer has driven in seven runs, has scored 11 times and has used his speed to swipe seven bases (second on the team).
“Playing for Hamlet this summer really helped me,” Phifer shared. “Coach Gordon put me in contact with a couple schools and that gave me a chance to be seen.
“We hit a lot this summer, and did lots of reps which also made me better. We played so many games at a fast pace, and I was able to see college level pitching. All those things allowed me to get ready for the next level.”
In 2022, St. Andrews went 20-23 with a 13-15 record in the Appalachian Athletic Conference.
“Ashton is going to take some intangibles to St. Andrews you can’t teach like his speed and arm strength,” Gordon said. “He’s got one of the best arms I’ve had the privilege of coaching. He’s played everywhere in the outfield and plays it with ease. He has good jumps and is a leading defensive outfielder.
“He also has something a lot of guys don’t have with his left-handed bat. Ashton has a nice swing and can hit for contact and drive the ball in the gaps. He also has leadership qualities and is always pushing our guys to get better. Ashton is a winner and has the right mindset. He represents the kind of players Post 49 likes to have.”
Phifer said he’s most excited at the opportunity to continue playing the game he loves and expects to compete for a starting spot with the Knights. He said he wants to continue working on his hitting and mechanics in the offseason.
While at St. Andrews, Phifer plans to major in business with a concentration in becoming a real estate agent.
“I want to thank all of my coaches, family and friends for their support,” Phifer closed. “And a special thank to Coach Gordon for his hard work in helping me get to play in college.”
