Welcome to the official web site of the Ardrey Kell Knights baseball club.

Ardrey Kell is the 2008 North Carolina 4A Western Regional champions.  Going 28-6, the Knights battled six time state champion Greenville Rose in the 4A finals before falling 5-3 in extra innings and 4-3 to finish as 4A runner up.  Remarkably, the Knights were nearly perfect on the season, with all six loses coming the opponent's final at bat.   

The Knights are led by veteran coach Hal Bagwell. In 12 seasons, Bagwell's teams have amassed a 242-97 record while winning the SW4A conference crown four times, three league tournament titles, three Western Regional Championships, and made three state championship appearances. In 2007, Bagwell was selected as one of the coaches for USA Baseball’s Youth National Team (16 & under) that went undefeated winning the gold medal at the World Youth Games in Barquisimeto, Venezuela.

Ardrey Kell battles in the tradition rich Southwestern 4A with the likes of South Meck, Myers Park, and Independence, all teams that have made appearances in the state championship game this decade.  AK won their first ever SW4A title in 2008, going 13-1 in league play.  AK swept fellow SW4A member Providence in the 4A Western Regional series.

    
Thanks for checking in and please return frequently to look for updates on Knights Baseball.

Ryan Stetson verbally committed to play baseball for the Appalachian State Mountaineers following his senior season at Ardrey Kell.

Stetson is the Knights all-time leading hitter with a career batting average of .451 in two seasons.  He also has scored more runs than any Knight (60), had more hits (88) and hit more home runs (10) in the brief AK baseball history.  

In 2008, Stetson helped lead the Knights to a North Carolina 4A West Regional championship and a state runner up finish.  He batted .434 with six home runs, 36 RBIs and stole 14 bases earning him All-SW4A and All-State honors.

Coach Hal Bagwell has released the schedule for Audrey Kell 2009 baseball season. 

The Knights, as they look forward to defending their titles earned during the 2008 campaign, are coming off a 28-6 season. AK won the SW4A conference with a 13-1 league mark, winning 13 straight after dropping the loop’s opening game to Butler.  Ardrey Kell then romped through the 4A west state playoff bracket, winning their first ever Sectional and Regional titles to advance to the state championship series.

Ardrey Kell will open the season on Monday, March 2^nd when they host West Meck.  South Piedmont 3A champion Marvin Ridge is scheduled to come to Knight’s Field the following Wednesday and AK will conclude a busy week of baseball when the travel to play Watauga  at the United States Olympic Baseball training facility in Cary on Saturday, March 7^th. 

Week two will be equally busy with a trip to Queen City conference champion Olympic, the SW4A opener at Butler, and an endowment contest versus Richmond Senior at Knights Field on Saturday.  Week three has AK playing SW4A contests with East Meck and Independence plus a non-conference clash against the MECA-6 champion North Meck.  Rivals Myers Park, Providence, South Meck and Weddington follow in the ensuing weeks.

Spring break will see the Knights back in action at the Jack Sink Tournament during the week of April 6-10, before the second time through the league begins on April 14^th.  

AK will close out the regular season with a Senior Night affair on May 4^th while hosting Weddington.

The SW4A tournament is schedule to begin on Thursday May 7^th with the semi-finals at Myers Park the next day and the champion game the following Monday at UNCC.  State tournament action is scheduled to begin on Friday May 15^th. 

For those that just can not wait, AK will scrimmage at Fort Mill on Saturday, February 21^st and host Mt. Pleasant on February 25^th in their final tune-up.