Austin Murphy’s loyalty and hot bat carry Northern Vance baseball back into postseason play

Watch Northern Vance junior Austin Murphy swing the bat with force and self-assuredness, and it’s hard to believe that he was once regarded as a defense-first performer during his Dixie Youth Baseball days with the Oxford All-Stars.

But a growth spurt in middle school, along with a hefty dose of determination, has helped Murphy develop into one of the best hitters in recent Northern Vance history. He’s helped the Vikings (13-9) reach the postseason for a seventh straight year. Northern Vance travels to Southern Lee (21-6) Wednesday night in the first round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3A baseball playoffs.

Murphy, a junior first baseman, boasts a .429 average to go with five home runs and 35 RBI. He’s starting to get walked intentionally.

“I home this doesn’t jinx him, but Austin has been on fire,” said coach Benji Nelson, a 1991 Northern Vance graduate. “He has had a great year so far, and I hope it continues. He is a great kid who wants to win. He is a leader who has put our team on his back and hasn’t let up.”

Statistics aside, what impresses Nelson most is that Murphy has remained loyal to the Northern Vance program since earning a starting position as a freshman.

With so many private and charter school options in Granville and Vance Counties, some student-athletes in the area have opted to leave the public school system. Northern Vance’s enrollment has dropped by the hundreds and the Vikings will be 2A next season.

Murphy has never considered another option.

“I grew up with all of the guys on this team and have been playing ball with them my whole life,” Murphy said. “I could never leave friends like that. I think of these guys as family.”

Northern Vance displayed the family aspect of its program earlier this month when the players wore lime green jersey tops during a game at the j.f. Webb Easter Tournament in support of Murphy’s mother, Paula, who was recently diagnosed with lymphoma. Paula was surprised – and touched – by the gesture.

“Austin is so close with his mom that it’s hard to think about some of the things he is feeling right now,’’ Nelson said. “But he has handled that situtation very well.’’

This story was originally published May 10, 2017 at 3:42 PM with the headline "Austin Murphy’s loyalty and hot bat carry Northern Vance baseball back into postseason play."