LCC to Retire Jerseys of Hewitt, Roberts at First Pitch, Final Serve Dinner
LCC to Retire Jerseys of Hewitt, Roberts at First Pitch, Final Serve Dinner
LENOIR — Lenoir Community College will celebrate its athletic legacy while investing in its future on Thursday, January 15, 2026, when it hosts the First Pitch, Final Serve Athletics Dinner inside the LCC Gymnasium.
The event serves as a fundraiser for the LCC athletic department and a showcase of the talent that has come through the college and the broader Eastern North Carolina region. The evening will also feature the official jersey retirements of former LCC standouts Sammy Hewitt and Ralph Roberts, two players whose careers reflect the program’s long-standing impact at the regional and national levels.
Social hour begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:00 p.m. Tickets are $50, with proceeds benefiting LCC Athletics.
Athletic director Ryan Meadows said the event is designed to connect generations of LCC athletics while honoring those who helped build the program.
Meadows said the dinner highlights current athletes, former athletes and prominent guests who have been strong figures and supporters throughout the LCC service area, while also serving as a key fundraising opportunity for the department. He added that the number of accomplished figures returning for the event reflects both the talent that has passed through LCC and the strength of Eastern North Carolina’s athletic footprint.
Athlete Honorees: Sammy Hewitt, Ralph Roberts
Hewitt, a native of Swansboro, starred at LCC from 2000–01, earning First Team All-Region 10 honors in both seasons. In 2001, he was also named Region 10 MVP and Second Team All-America. He was selected in the 28th round of the MLB Draft by the Oakland A’s before continuing his baseball and academic career at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
At UNC, Hewitt ranked second on the team with a .355 batting average, finished fourth with 78 hits and 51 runs, placed third with 10 home runs, and fourth with 49 RBIs. He was later drafted in the 34th round by the Texas Rangers, marking a career that spanned junior college, Power Five baseball and professional opportunity.
Roberts, a Gastonia native, delivered one of the most dominant offensive stretches in LCC history. In 1999, he led the team in batting average (.390), home runs (13) and RBIs (45), earning First Team All-Region 10 honors and being drafted in the 36th round by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
He followed that season with an even stronger 2000 campaign, leading LCC again in batting average (.455), home runs (14) and RBIs (45). Roberts also contributed on the mound, posting a 2–0 record with a 0.59 ERA. His accolades included First Team All-Region 10 and Third Team All-America recognition. He was drafted in the 32nd round by the Arizona Diamondbacks, continued to UNC-Chapel Hill, and later signed with the Atlanta Braves in 2001.
Both Hewitt and Roberts will have their jerseys retired as part of the evening’s program.
Guest of Honor: James Fulghum
The dinner will also honor James Fulghum, a legendary coach and figure in North Carolina baseball. A Rock Ridge native, Fulghum played catcher at Atlantic Christian College (now Barton College), where he was a four-year letterman and helped lead the program to two conference runner-up finishes.
Fulghum later coached at North Edgecombe and Greene Central High Schools, where he built one of the most decorated resumes in state history. At Greene Central, his teams won five state championships in 1980, 1982, 1987, 1990 and 2000, capturing titles across five different decades.
His honors include induction into the NC Sports Hall of Fame, Barton College Hall of Fame, American Legion Hall of Fame, and the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame. In 2014, he was recognized by Snow Hill and Greene County when Rosenwald Memorial Field was rededicated in his honor.
Guest Speaker: Parker Byrd
The featured speaker for the evening is Parker Byrd, an East Carolina University baseball player whose story has resonated nationally. Byrd became the first player in NCAA Division I baseball history to compete with a prosthetic leg, following a life-altering boating accident in July 2022 that resulted in the amputation of his right leg below the knee.
His comeback earned national recognition, including a mention on the U.S. House floor and the North Carolina Laurel Wreath Award. Byrd was also featured in a Super Bowl advertisement for the Challenged Athletes Foundation.
Continuing a Growing Tradition
Now in its second year, the First Pitch, Final Serve dinner continues to grow as both a celebration of legacy and a commitment to the future of LCC Athletics. With jersey retirements, Hall of Fame recognition and nationally recognized guests, the 2026 edition underscores the lasting impact of LCC athletics across Eastern North Carolina.
Tickets and additional information are available at www.lenoircc.edu/firstpitch/. For questions, contact Katherine Pearson at (252) 233-6843.
