Blake Maxwell Jons Florence RedWolves as Head Coach
August 30, 2013 - Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Florence RedWolves News Release
The Florence RedWolves Baseball Team announces the hiring of Blake Maxwell as head coach for the 2014 season. Maxwell is currently the pitching coach at UNC-Pembroke where he works with former RedWolves head coach Blake Newsome (2011). He also is a Coastal Plain League alum, making the all-star team in 2004 as a member of the Fayetteville Swampdogs.
Maxwell Bio Info:
Blake Maxwell recently joined the UNC- Pembroke baseball coaching staff for the 2013-2014 season. Originally from Hope Mills, N.C., Maxwell will work primarily with the pitching staff.
During the summer of 2013, Maxwell served as the pitching coach for the Woodstock River Bandits of the Valley Baseball League. Maxwell also served as an assistant coach for the Methodist University Monarchs during the 2013 season and helped lead the Monarchs to the USA South Conference Tournament title and a birth in the NCAA South Regional for Division III.
Maxwell was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 40th round of the 2005 Major League Draft. Maxwell spent seven seasons in the Red Sox organization and made it as high as Triple-A. He compiled a career record of 42 wins, 33 losses, and 44 saves. His career ERA was 3.76. In 2008, Maxwell finished fifth in the California League, first in the Southern Division, in ERA. In 2009 Maxwell won the Portland Sea Dogs Citizen of the Year Award for his extensive work in the community. Maxwell was selected as a 2010 Milb.com Organizational All-Star for the Red Sox after going 11-1 on the season
Prior to being drafted by the Red Sox, Maxwell attended Methodist University and served as the closer for the Monarch pitching staff from 2003-2005. He helped lead the Monarchs to the 2004 USA South Conference Tournament title and the 2005 USA South Regular-Season Conference title. He was a two time All-Region selection ("ÃË04, "ÃË05) and first team All-Conference in 2005. He holds the school record for career ERA (1.70), career saves (22), and single season saves (9 - "ÃË04, "ÃË05). Maxwell also served as a part-time DH for a portion of his career with the Monarchs and was selected as the All-Tournament DH in the 2004 NCAA South Regional.
"We are very excited to have Coach Maxwell as our new head coach. With his knowledge of the CPL, and having been an all-star in our league, we feel he will be very successful with our organization. We also believe that his number of years in pro baseball will assist him in putting together a team to play in the pro style ballpark that we now play in at Francis Marion. Blake will get a chance to see the park and how it plays this spring since UNC Pembroke and Francis Marion are both in the Peach Belt Conference and play against each other." Jamie Young, GM
Maxwell will replace Blake Walker as the RedWolves head coach. "Blake Walker did a great job for us and he was very excited to come back and coach for a team that he played for. The bad part for him was the fact that he left his wife and nine month old son at home in Texas for the summer and he missed out on many of the "growing up" aspects of his son. He has decided he wants to stay closer to home next summer. "We totally understand and appreciate his decision. We are thankful to his family for allowing him to come spend last summer in Florence." Jamie Young, GM said.
RedWolves' owner, Kevin Barth, said "Coach Walker was a great player and coach for the RedWolves, and we wish him the best. I have always appreciated his dedication and commitment to baseball and the RedWolves, but definitely understand that nothing is more important than family. Fortunately for us though, we have found a fantastic coach for next summer, and look forward to watching the team he is putting together."
Coach Maxwell will immediately begin the recruiting process for the 2014 RedWolves team. This time of year is when schools begin their fall practice and look to start placing their players on summer teams.
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Coastal Plain League Stories from August 30, 2013
- Blake Maxwell Jons Florence RedWolves as Head Coach - Florence RedWolves
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