Baseball team hosts Hillsborough Friday with Woodward scheduled to make debut

The Eastern Florida State College baseball team will host Hillsborough Community College Friday afternoon at Bruce Bochy Field.

And at some point during the game, Jackson Woodward will once again take the mound for the Titans. The pitcher has rebounded from osteosarcoma, a bone cancer that tends to impact teenagers and young adults, and has worked his way back into shape to be able to make his debut.

"It is going to feel great, especially to be back here where I spent my freshman season, cut short, but being back on a field that I know," Woodward said. "I can't wait to be able to compete again. It's going to be sweet, I can't wait."

The Titusville High graduate was diagnosed in April of 2020 and has went through the chemotherapy treatments, had surgery and more chemotherapy. After almost two years, the right-hander will be back on the mound Friday.

"It took me quite a while to get back, but I was throwing pretty quickly after the surgery. I was out throwing every couple of practices and tried to keep throwing," Woodward said. "I just wanted to get going again as quickly as I could."

During the NJCAA 2020 baseball season that was cut short due to COVID-19, Woodward led the nation in innings pitched with 46 2/3 innings pitched, allowing just one earned run to post a 0.19 ERA, the best in the nation for any pitcher with over 25 innings pitched. His 55 strikeouts also ranked in the top 10 nationally this past spring.

"Of course, I want a clean inning. I have been feeling great and I have high expectations for myself," Woodward said. "You have to crawl before you can walk so one inning this time, maybe two the next and then three. I have to work my way back up to a point where I could start again."

Freshman Brian Walters is scheduled to get the start against Hillsborough Community College. Walters is 1-0 in two starts this season with a 2.00 ERA. He has struck out 11 in nine innings of work.

The Titans come into the contest 3-4-1 on the season and Friday's game will begin at 1 p.m. at Bruce Bochy Field. Admission is free to home games this season.

CLICK HERE: Jackson Woodward talks about being back on the mound tomorrow.