2018 Baseball Roster
Roster
Casey Harford
- Position:
- INF
- Height:
- 5-11
- Weight:
- 165
- Class:
- Freshman
- Hometown:
- Cordova, Tenn.
- Previous School:
- Harding Academy
- High School:
- Harding Academy
- Pronunciation:
- R/R
2022: Put the finishing touches on a remarkable career, leading the way in eight major offensive statistical categories with a personal-best .315 batting average, .589 slugging percentage, 10 home runs and 33 runs scored...Connected on 53 hits - the most of anyone in the UTM lineup - with 25 of them coming in the extra-base variety...Wrangled in a team-leading 36 RBI thanks to a .944 OPS...Tallied 99 total bases, soaring to 18 multi-hit performances...Finished one double shy of the most in the Skyhawk lineup with 14, ranking third on the squad in on-base percentage at .355...Permanently etched his name in the school record books in a one-of-a-kind showing vs. Tennessee Tech (April 23), becoming the first UT Martin player in the 30-year NCAA Division I era to land four extra-base hits in a single game, tying the program record shared by three other individuals with a trio of home runs in a 24-17 triumph...Racked up 14 hits on 10 RBI over a four-game period vs. TTU and Morehead State, batting a flaming .637 over that stretch while going yard four times...Managed a season-best four hits in three different outings while picking up three or more RBI against four separate opponents...Scored a career-best four times in the aforementioned win against Tennessee Tech, placing three scores in two other outings...Found three separate four-game hitting streaks on the semester...Dished out 95 assists in the infield, including a season-high eight vs. Austin Peay (April 9)...Went through the first 15 games of the year without carrying an error, following that up with another lengthy streak of 18 appearances without a defensive mishap...Concludes his Skyhawk career in second place all-time with 45 doubles, ranking third in school history in RBI (147), assists (428), and at-bats (730)...Became the fifth player in the history of the program to join the 200-hit club vs. Morehead State (April 28), wrapping up his collegiate stint with 209 to rank fourth all-time...His 24 homers since 2018 place fifth all-time...Was named to the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll for both the fall and spring semesters...Was named to the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll.
2021: Was an intimidating presence in the heart of the batting order all season long, starting in all 47 of his games played (44 at shortstop, three at designated hitter)…Was the hardest player in the Ohio Valley Conference to strike out (once every 9.9 at-bats, only 18 total whiffs)…Ranked third in the OVC with six sacrifice flies…Led the team with 52 hits, 40 RBI’s, five times hit by pitch, 14 multi-hit games and 11 multi-RBI performances while ranking second in batting average (.291) and doubles (11)…Also added 27 runs scored, a triple, five home runs and a .447 slugging percentage…Best game of the season came during the Feb. 24 victory at No. 22 Alabama, collecting season-highs of three hits (only a home run shy of hitting for the cycle), three RBI’s and two runs scored…Also went 3-for-3 with a stolen base on April 30 against Jacksonville State…Additionally drove in a season-best three runs against OVC foes Belmont (March 11) while reaching base safely four times (two hits, season-high two walks) against Tennessee Tech on May 14…Pieced together a 13-game hitting streak (longest by any UT Martin player in 2021) from Feb. 24 through March 27, hitting .365 (19-of-52) during that stretch…Doubled twice in UT Martin’s victory over No. 11 Ole Miss on May 18…Led the team with 19 RBI’s (next closest had nine) with a runner on third and less than two outs…Was one of only 100 players on the Brooks Wallace Award watch list, spotlighting the nation’s top shortstop…Was named to the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll for the fall semester.
2020: Recovered from a preseason injury to appear in six games, making four starts at three different positions (third base, shortstop and designated hitter) during the abbreviated season…Posted a .294 batting average with three RBI’s and three runs scored in just 17 at-bats…Had a pair of multi-hit games, accomplishing that feat at Alabama on Feb. 25 and against Evansville on March 4…Delivered the go-ahead pinch-hit RBI in the ninth inning of the season-opening victory over Saint Louis on Feb. 14...Was named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll for both the fall and spring semesters...Was named to the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll.
2019: Started in 52 games on the year for the Skyhawks as he split time at second base and short stop…Posted a .312 batting average to go along with 12 doubles, two triples, five homers and team-high 45 RBIs…Recorded the first perfect performance with at least five hits against a Division-I opponent since 2007 as he went 5-for-5 against No. 15 Auburn on March 5…Racked up 17 multi-hit and eight multi-RBI outings…Belted two home runs and plated six runs against Austin Peay (April 21) which were the most in a single game for the middle infielder over the course of the season…Roped a pair of doubles at Auburn (March 5) as he also racked up five RBIs along the way…Legged out two triples on the year with one coming against Christian Brothers (April 10) and the other in the OVC Tournament against Eastern Illinois...Was named to the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll.
2018: Started in 45 games on the campaign as he made the transition to collegiate baseball…Compiled seven doubles and four home runs to go along with 23 RBIs on the season while also swiping a squad second-best four bases…Tallied seven multiple-hit games and five multiple-RBI contests…Drove in a trio of runs against Troy in the front end of a double header on Feb. 17 as he also connected for a round-tripper in the contest…His all-around best game came in the season-opener against Troy as he tallied a pair of base knocks, a double, an RBI and a stolen base to showcase his ability as a well-rounded player...Earned a spot on the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll.
BEFORE UTM: Accumulated many awards during his time with Harding Academy Lions, including 2016 TSSAA second team all-state…Won team awards such as the 2016 Gold Glove Award and 2016 Best Defensive Player at Harding Academy…Was chosen for the TSSAA all-district team, All-Region Team for Region 8, and the 2015 Best of Preps All-Metro Team.
PERSONAL: Born on Sept. 5, 1998…Son of Bruce and Jamie Harford…Has one brother, Matt…Majoring in criminal justice and sociology.
