Expect parity in county baseball

Richmond compiled a winning record last season and did not lose in conference play, but they were hard hit by graduation and have a new head coach. The Hagerstown Tigers, who spent most of last season in the 2A state rankings, graduated nine players last spring. Northeastern, winners of the last two Wayne County tournaments, also spent time in the 2A state rankings last season with a roster composed of all underclassmen, but not all of those players chose to return this season.  Centerville compiled a winning record last year playing in the 3A enrollment class. They have been reclassified to 2A and are expected to have a solid season. Cambridge City Lincoln, a sectional runner-up last season, returns an experienced roster this season and is expected to contend again for the 1A sectional title. Seton Catholic graduated five players from a 12-player roster and will be heavily reliant on new faces. 

The Tri-Eastern Conference race will be wide open with nearly every member team capable of claiming the crown. With the Wayne County teams potentially as evenly matched as ever before, freshmen who will be filling key roles could be the difference. The Wayne County tournament, a long-standing tradition, has been discontinued.   

1A — Cambridge City Lincoln

Head coach: Jeff Gwin (record last season 7-17, 1-7 TEC)

When Lincoln head coach Jeff Gwin greeted his players for the first practice this season, few introductions were necessary. Twelve players from the Eagles 1A sectional runner-up team of a season ago are back on the diamond. In fact, the roster for this season has grown to 18 and is a nice blend of veteran talent and new players that includes four freshmen.

Confidence and enthusiasm are at a high level. Carson Hawk (.203, 16 hits), Dustin Lunsford (.325, 25 RBIs, All-TEC), Jack Patton (.203, 14 hits), Evan Stuckey (.261, 18 hits) and Oliver Webb (.250, 15 hits, honorable mention TEC) all played in 24 games last season. Ben Bates (.250) and Braxton Dick both played in 22 games. Noah Patterson (.268, 15 hits) and Leo Russell both played in 21 games. Gage Sherwood played in 19 games and Clayton Vickers played in 17 games.

The Eagle defense is strong and their pitching staff is deep. Bates saw the most work on the mound last year, appearing in 18 games, Webb made 13 appearances and Stuckey made 11 appearances, with the trio combining to strike out 150 batters. Dick, Patterson, Patton and Sherwood also saw mound duty a season ago.

The Eagles will open their season with long road trips in opposite directions. They will travel to Kokomo to play Taylor on Friday, April 4, before a road trip to face Oldenburg Academy on Saturday, April 5. The Eagles then return home to host Monroe Central on Tuesday, April 8, and Randolph Southern on Wednesday, April 9. 

1A — Seton Catholic

Head coach: Jordan Parker (record last season 2-14, 1-3 PAAC)

After graduating five seniors from its 12-player sectional roster last spring and seeing two other players leave the program, the Cardinals will need help from new faces this season. The Cards will return five experienced players to build around. Max Harvey (.135, five hits), Jake Himes (22 plate appearances), Taeon Tate (.209, nine hits), and Tyson Tremain (.135, five hits) each played in all 16 games last season. Sam Himes (17 plate appearances) also saw substantial varsity action. Tremain will likely be the No. 1 pitching option after compiling an earned run average of 2.80 in six mound appearances last season. Tate made eight mound appearances.

The Cardinals will play their first two games on the road. They will travel to Lynn to play Randolph Southern on Wednesday, April 2. The next day, Thursday, April 3, they will travel to Indianapolis to face Purdue Polytechnic North before returning home on Tuesday, April 8, to host Daleville. 

2A — Centerville

Head coach: Cory VanSkyock (record last season 11-8, 5-3 TEC) 

Centerville has been playing in the 3A enrollment classification the last two seasons; this year they have been reclassified to 2A. There will be several new faces on the roster this season, but the Bulldogs will still have substantial talent. The Bulldogs graduated Luke Basler, four-year starter Kollyn Peed (.377, 22 RBI, All-TEC), Colton Rinehart (.290, 16 RBI, All-TEC), Gavin Robinson and Jennings Rusznak. Juniors Ethan Vecera (.340, 17 hits, honorable mention TEC) and Edward Parker (.286, 14 hits, honorable mention TEC), who each played in 18 games last season, did not return to the team this spring. Both saw mound duty last year as well, with Parker pitching a no-hitter against Union County.

Two sophomores, Landen Schlotterbeck (.303, 10 hits) and Nick Tinkle (.256, 10 hits) who saw playing time last year as freshmen, return and could have breakout years. Keith Plyley Jr. also returns after batting .400 in nine games last season. Seniors Grady Blake (.314, 16 hits) and Chase Clark (.224, 11 hits) are expected to be team leaders.

The Bulldogs will play their first three games on the road. They open on Monday, April 7, at Monroe Central, travel to Shenandoah on Wednesday, April 9, and close the week with a trip to Rushville on Friday, April 11.    

2A — Hagerstown

Head coach: Jay Hale (record last season 21-6, 7-1 TEC) 

The question about perennial baseball power Hagerstown is whether they will rebuild this season or just reload. The defending Tri-Eastern Conference champions, who spent time last season ranked first in the 2A state poll, graduated seven starters last spring, including All-TEC selections Collin Beaty, Kayne Ervin and Ben William and TEC honorable mention choices Wyatt Burris and Cole Tracy. The Tigers return left-handed pitcher Kaagen Kendall, the TEC Player of the Year last season, and senior Jackson Ward, who has emerged as the No. 2 pitcher. Ethan Campbell (.328), Will Combs (.254, three doubles, 13 RBIs), Aiden Grover (an Indiana Tech commit) and Anthony Kelley (.262), each of whom played in 25 or more games, also return with three years of varsity experience as well as Will King who batted 400 in 19 games last season. Ty Lieberman, the only sophomore on the roster who batted .333 in 13 games, also returns. The Tigers open the season with seven freshmen on their varsity roster. How quickly the freshmen adjust to varsity play will help determine the success of the Tigers. The Tigers are scheduled to be the first Wayne County team to take the field this season. Weather permitting, they will host Frankton on Monday, March 31, travel to Connersville on Tuesday, April 1, and then travel to Richmond on Thursday, April 3, in an early season test of their pitching depth. The results of those games will be reported in the April 9 issue of the Western Wayne News.

2A — Northeastern

Head coach: Dave Baker (record last season 16-10, 5-3 TEC)

Northeastern won the Wayne County tournament title in each of the last two seasons and made it into the state ranking at times last season with a roster composed of all underclassmen. Three of those players — Colton Creech, who appeared in 24 games, Connor Burke, who appeared in 23 games, and Matthew Truitt, who appeared in 12 games — did not return this spring, so the Knights will not have the depth they anticipated, but the Knights still have a talented roster.

They return All-TEC selections Riley Isaacs (.382, 14 RBIs), Blake Waters (.364, 17 RBIs) and Kaiden White (.312, 21 RBIs) as well as TEC honorable mention selections Kaleb Moore (.328 and 11 RBIs) and Logan White (.325 and 19 RBI). Key players Cam Gibson, Gavin Johnson and Logan Seal all return after playing in at least 25 games last season, and Rodney Carlin, Eli Jasinski and Aiden Shaffer are also expected to contribute.

The depth of the Knight pitching staff is impressive. Logan White made 11 mound appearances last season, striking out 61 batters. Kaden White made seven mound appearances, striking out 40 batters. Isaacs and Waters each made eight mound appearances. The Knights are expected to contend for the TEC and sectional titles. The Knights will open regular-season play on the road. They will travel to top-ranked Triton Central for a doubleheader on Saturday, April 5, and then travel to Shenandoah on Monday, April 7, before returning home on Tuesday, April 8, to host Muncie Burris. 

4A — Richmond

Head coach: Michael Medley (record last season 13-9, 6-0 NCC) 

The Richmond Red Devils recovered from an 0-2 start last season to win 13 games, but they graduated four players who were named first team All-NCC (Casey Blevins, D’Shawn Harper, Dustin Moore and Trey Pipenger) as well as Landon Woehrmann, who was named second team All-NCC.

Zander Juday, (.263, 15 hits) an infielder and pitcher who was a first team All-NCC choice, and infielders Jayvian Burdette (.415, 16 RBIs) and Weston Jones (.288, 19 hits), who were both second team All-NCC selections last season, will return. Aiden McWhinney (.246), the only senior on the team, played in 22 games last season and is a key returnee. Logan Belanga (.303), who played in 21 games last season, will miss this season while rehabbing an injury. Sophomore catcher Wyatt Kier, who batted .438 in seven games as a freshman, is expected to have a breakout year.

The Red Devils have a new coach who has generated new interest in the program. The roster for opening day includes nearly 30 players. The Red Devils will open their season by playing their first three games at home. They will host Connersville on Wednesday, April 2, Hagerstown on Thursday, April 3, and Wapahani on Friday, April 4.